Immunity
by Bamboofoxfire Productions
Summary: [Co-Writ] Allen Walker and Lavi Bookman are two survivors of the Infection that is slowly deteriorating humankind and civilization a little more every day, with no hope for a cure or end of it in sight. They still have a number of trusted people at their side and the safety of a quarantine zone seperating them from the Infected... but not for much longer.[Last of Us/Zombie AU]
1. Crumbling Road

**A/N: **Okay so this is another one of my RP's-turned-fanfic done with bookmans-lavi from Tumblr and the format on this one is going to be a little different from my usual because I couldn't figure out how to edit it differently. You'll see what I mean :D

I wrote the parts for Allen. bookmans-lavi wrote the parts for... well... Lavi! XD

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><p><strong>Immunity<br>****A D Gray-Man & Last of Us Crossover**

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><p><strong>Summer<strong>

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><p>Allen walked with eyes open and alert, watching the other figures that mulled through the street with acute attention. The knowledge that very few could be trusted was an ever-present prick at the back of his mind, but he plastered an acknowledging smile on his face whenever anyone passed.<p>

He self-consciously tugged his left sleeve down a little more, despite that his deformed arm was fully covered already, as a passing man glared, a more common response to his smiles than actually having them returned. It didn't bother him so much though, more than used to it. If people didn't give him dirty looks for having glimpsed his abomination of an arm, they glared just because they could, because people were paranoid. It was reasonable enough though, he supposed.

He tried not to look skittish as a group of soldiers marched by, some giving him a visual once-over as if accusing him of some sort of hidden crime they needed only drag out into the open and expose, before doing what they did best… further sew animosity and fear into the uninfected with their own overly harsh tactics of "containment".

The albino male jogged up a few steps to the entryway of an apartment building. He counted the doors lining the halls as he walked before settling on the one he had been searching for, giving an announcing knock first before cracking the door open, glad to find only one person currently inhabited the room.

"Hey, Lavi," Allen greeted casually. "Busy?"

* * *

><p>One gunshot today. It was near the neighborhood so Lavi was obligated to go and check it out since Bookman left for the day to gather groceries and check out the town. He got the name and then he put it in the records. Yet another person supposedly infected. The dead bodies were starting to really wear on his mind, so he decided reading would be the best bet of getting his thoughts off of it.<p>

The redhead is splayed out on a couch when he heard a knock on the door, green eye glancing up to see the door open and a familiar head of white hair poke in before he sees two silver eyes. A natural, laid-back smile forms on Lavi's face in greeting as he raises a hand and waves.

"Well if it ain't the Beansprout! Naw, I ain't busy. Come on in," he says cheerily as he closes the book and stands up, heading into the kitchen, "Want some water? I think we're gonna need it for what we have goin' on today!"

He found out that Bookman volunteered his and Allen's time—he knew Allen visited most days—to go and help repair a generator. It's convenient that they have mechanics that can help with these sorts of things. It's nice. It's safe. It's comforting.

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><p>Allen narrowed his eyes subtly at the redhead. More specifically, at the use of that <em>atrocious <em>nickname.

"That's _Allen _to you," he muttered, in an annoyed tone straying from his normally gentlemanly attitude, though it was about the extent of displeasure that he showed. It was quickly replaced by an inquiring expression as he followed Lavi to the entry of the kitchen. "And what exactly do we have going on today?" This question was asked with a notable hint of hesitant uncertainty.

Hopefully it wasn't another one of Lavi's "wise ideas" to stir up mischief. He really wasn't in the mood to be murdered by Kanda(even if he was fully on-board for giving the older male Hell on other days), and if Lavi had other potential targets in mind, well…that always brought trouble he'd rather avoid. He'd gotten enough dirty looks from soldiers and other residents already without adding more on and the possible threat of getting his head blown off by some too-irritable, overworked patrolsmen.

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><p>Lavi can't help the low laugh that escapes from his mouth when Allen gives his usual correction to the nickname Lavi uses that Kanda gave him. He grabs two glasses and grabs a gallon of water. He pours in the water and hands a glass to Allen as he doesn't answer the question, letting the dramatic pause take over the silence as he keeps a mischievous smile for a little longer. Leaning against the counter and sipping the drink, he finally speaks.<p>

"Bookman wants us to go an' help fix up a generator near the wall-one of those that makes the air conditioning work in that main building where guards on the wall keep the guns an' weapons. You're willin', ain't ya? Maybe this time we got the chance to go out and look for some parts!"

Personally, leaving the safety of the town is exciting and invigorating for the redhead. Being cooped up made to record and read is far too repetitive. He'd like change. He wants some excitement. He's been out a few times to help get rid of some Infected nearby, but that small taste of freedom made him want more.

Soon, his answer would be answered—and not in the way it should be.

* * *

><p>Allen waited for an answer and gave the red-head a look of slight suspicion as he at first omitted saying anything. He knew that the junior Bookmen was merely trying to bait such a reaction, but he couldn't help giving one.<p>

When he finally heard what it was, sipping at his glass of water, he couldn't help but wonder how unpleasant this was going to be. He didn't like working around the guards, or hardly anyone that he wasn't particularly close to for that matter. Work like that was very hands-on, and one of his was deformed. That almost always drew unwanted attention, despite that he often tried to pretend that it didn't bother him in the slightest.

"Oh, is that all?" he mused. Maybe they could even finagle a few extra ration cards out of the guards for their work. The thought of that was always appealing to a food-lover like himself, even if a lot of the food was terrible. Some days he'd just about eat a leather boot though with how much resources were contested over sometimes, just to quell the pinch in his stomach. He hadn't quite sunken that low yet, but he had thought about it more than once.

The idea of going beyond the walls was concerning though. True, he had gone before, normally convinced by the redhead himself, but it always carried massive risk. Nothing tragic had happened yet, but it was only a matter of time. Their luck had to run out eventually. Whether they'd be caught by the guards or, even worse, the Infected, was more of a When rather than an If scenario.

"…and I guess we could see if there's anything worth scavenging, but we probably shouldn't go too far away if we do."

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><p>Lavi nods in response to Allen's first question made in passing. He and Allen were best friends. He knows of the glares in Allen's direction over the years. He witnessed them first-hand since people often did them right in front of him. He really has no idea what their problem is regarding the deformed arm—is it because of Clickers since they're deformed Infected?<p>

"They'll probably have us scavenge from the cars near the town's walls, won't they?" the redhead mostly muses to himself as he drinks a bit from the water. He shrugs, though, not looking for an answer as he chugs the rest of the water and puts the glass in the sink. "Anyway, let's get goin'. It's a little hot over there so without their air conditioning they're gonna be annoyed-let's not put 'being late' on their list of things to whine and groan about!"

Waiting for Allen to finish his water, the two then head out and lock the apartment behind them. Lavi yawns, stretching his arms this way and that starting at the shoulders since they would definitely end up having a bit of a work out with the sneaking and then searching through broken-down vehicles.

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><p>Allen shrugged, sipping down the last of his drink.<p>

"Who knows if they'll even have us do that much?" he returned, setting the glass aside with a soft _clank_. He followed behind, bunching up his hair to tie back so it wouldn't get in the way of whatever work the soldiers would want them to do. "You know they can be real hard-asses about anyone going beyond the wall. They hardly trust their own to go out and come back uninfected."

He shoved his hands into his pockets and followed Lavi at his side, not really looking forward to his assigned work but keeping his inward complaints to himself. Even if they _did _happen to get some time beyond the wall, it would probably be under strict monitoring and grumpy soldiers jumping at every shadow, making all of their lives miserable.

"Well they do say happier soldiers make for happier people," Allen mused as Lavi insisted they hurry up to arrive on time. "Or so I've heard. I'm not entirely sure the saying has much merit behind it."

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><p>Laughing in agreement, Lavi can't help but joke with Allen along the way over how the guards would always have something to complain about—stories about when they weren't being the smartest or when they were just plain wrong. Joking and having fun always helped him ease his mind and get his thoughts off how bleak the world had come to be over the past ten years.<p>

The human race is always dwindling every single day.

Lavi goes quiet when they reach the wall, going in through a door and then to the stairs in their immediate left. They go up just one flight to the second floor and upon opening up the door they're immediately met with the generator having been moved to the ground from the roof of the enclosed room where the office is, since the roof is too small for people to work on it. Part of it is opened up already and Arystar Krory is working on the machinery.

But they don't report to him. They report to Leverriere. The snake-eyed man comes out of the office, wiping his head of sweat before smoothing his hair back and approaching the teen and the redhead with a serious look.

"Good, you're here," he sighs. He grunts as he straightens up to say, "Krory said we have to send you over the wall. He has a list of what he needs and a description of what it'll look like."

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><p>Allen remained silent most of the way and slid into an easy smile, letting Lavi do one of the things he did best uninterrupted - talk. And talk. And talk some more. Still, it always managed to prove a good distraction from other things he'd rather not think about. It kept his mind occupied as much as it did for the talker himself. Lavi was one of the only people he could manage to almost entirely relax around, despite that he seemed to get along with just about everyone - if you didn't count Kanda.<p>

He could tell they were getting close when Lavi fell silent, losing some of his boisterous errs. Like him, Lavi was quite a bit more reserved in how he presented himself when not around exclusively comfortable company, always changing and adapting to fit whatever necessary mold like water. Even as close as they were, even Allen sometimes had trouble differentiating what were the masks and what was the genuine person. Lavi was a superb actor, after all.

His own eyes wandered over the machine in need of fixing as he followed, already being maintenanced. Allen recognized the man immediately as Krory.

Then his gaze fell on one of the few people in the world that he could say with the utmost honesty that he simply _hated_. Kanda and him could almost be called best buds when compared to this man, and no amount of conditioning from his foster father could make him pretend to like Leverrier, the smile already falling from his lips. The best he could manage was a neutral, passive expression.

"We'll get it done," Allen responded, after hearing the man's instructions, his tone clipped and indifferent. Whatever meant getting away from the man as soon as and for as long as possible, he was willing to do. You couldn't pay or feed him enough to stay within any proximity of Leverrier for more than a few minutes, and that was stretching it.

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><p>With a spine-shaking smile, Leverrier nods at Allen, waving the two of them off to continue to Krory as he turns around and goes back into the office, running a hand through his somewhat disheveled graying hair once again. Lavi throws a glance at Allen with his green eye, stare impassive although Allen should know very well that Lavi isn't exactly happy with the guy either.<p>

He nudges the white-haired teen to their right so that they can make it over to Krory who tossed his own bangs back since he's sweating while trying to work on the air conditioning—lame, considering that he could be working on a variety of other things instead of trying to keep the guardsmen nice and cool when they're taking breaks.

"Hi guys," Krory greets with an awkward smile. He glances over to the office where the blinds are open. The older man gingerly pulls out a paper so as not to smudge it with the black grime on his fingers and holds it out to Allen as he says, "Here's what I need. I think there are a few abandoned cars half a mile up north so you can check those out. The parts I need will be on the engine near the back of it."

Taking a bit more time to explain, he leaves it at that to let the two leave. Lavi waves happily to Krory before pulling Allen along, not wanting to stick around those guardsmen longer than necessary. They stop at the gates where two men have to do a variety of unlatching, and the like, before the two are able to slip out when decided there's no Infected around to spot them.

"When we get out of sight then we'll relax our guard. I guess for now look like we're on high alert or somethin'," Lavi whispers to Allen.

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><p>Allen was all too happy to turn away as Leverrier left them with his orders, moving towards a far more friendly face, if not an uncomfortably hot one. He returned Krory's smile.<p>

"Hey Krory," he offered friendlily, taking the piece of paper and glancing it over. He wasn't the most tech-savvy, but he figured Lavi would make up the difference where knowledge was concerned in recognizing the parts. He listened intently to Krory's instructions, nodding his head. Half a mile wasn't far, only maybe a 20 minute walk both ways, excluding the time they'd have to take to dismantle the car parts, assuming trouble didn't find them. He deeply hoped it wouldn't. Maybe there wouldn't be any this close to the Zone.

He snapped out of his thoughts as Lavi grabbed and pulled him along, stumbling a few steps before he regained his feet.

"You could give me a little warning, you know," he admonished. Lavi's whispered words received a nod, though he intended to do more than simply _pretend _to be on high alert. Venturing outside always worried him.

He made it a point to check the number of bullets in the hand-gun he kept for just such ventures outside the safety of the walls. He hated to use it, and some part of him still lamented the idea of shooting an Infected, knowing they were once human, but that was the key word. _Once_. There was no such humanity left in those bodies now.

Even so, something about firing live rounds made him uneasy. He much preferred the knife he toted with him, but being that close-range to Infected carried a lot of risk, so he carried the handgun out of necessity if nothing else.

Satisfied he had what he hoped would be enough rounds, he tucked it back into hiding on the back rim of his pants and followed the redhead with senses alert.

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><p>Lavi situates a somewhat heavy hammer on his hip—his weapon of choice after a handgun that he normally keeps with him. He doesn't check it for bullets, though, normally accounting for such things far before going anywhere and his eidetic memory telling him that he has no need to check again to see if they were inside. The redhead glances back at the wall where everyone is watching them carefully with guns pointed to the treeline to look for any possible threats.<p>

_At least we're safe for the time-being_, Lavi thinks to himself.

They walk for perhaps five minutes before they come to the realization that they probably can't be seen anymore. Lavi loosens up since they haven't seen anything yet and he jumps in-place for a little, shaking his hands and arms out while laughing a bit—quietly, though.

"Alright Beansprout. Do you wanna keep goin' through the forest or choose to go along a road instead? Might take a little longer, though," he says.

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><p>Allen wasn't quite as eager to loosen up as Lavi was simply because the patrolsmen were out of sight, though he did feel better that they were behind him, somewhat. Then again, if they <em>did <em>come across Infected, he'd rather they be the ones having to shoot than himself.

"That's _Allen_," he corrected habitually, before going on to answer with little thought, "The forest." They were already half-way there, and Infected were far more rare in forests than they were in urban environments. Usually it was for lack of people in the forest. Not only would it be faster, but likely safer, to keep to their current course.

The path was peacefully quiet. Without much human intervention, the forest had grown into a lush, isolated oasis between the remains of human settlement. A few small animals crossed their path, scavenging, but nothing beyond that.

Allen cautiously hovered a hand over his weapon as he brushed aside tree branches at the periphery of the forest, giving way to concrete and skyscrapers. Silver eyes scanned for signs of the Infected, or even other human figures that might be hostile, but found nothing.

"Clear," he muttered, stepping out. Abandoned cars littered what was once a road, now cracked by grass and tree roots. Most sat on deflated tires, paint weathering off to rust the iron below. "I guess these are the cars Krory wanted us to search."

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><p>Despite feeling more at-ease now that the guards are gone and he's left with Allen, Lavi still at least figured it would benefit them for him to be quiet. They trekked through the forest in silence, the redhead being careful of his footfalls so he doesn't make more unnecessary sounds than he already makes. When he could vaguely see the sky scrapers through the openings in the tree canopy, he got out his own gun, waiting for Allen's word on whether it was safe or not.<p>

Now with them stepping out, the older teen carefully keeps his body low as he stalks over to the cars first. He glances around before reaching through a broken window and pulling something so that he can pop the front of the car. With one last look around he opens it up to see the engine intact.

"You ready?" he gently calls to Allen. He props up the wire that holds up the hood, chancing another glance around so that he can be sure he can pick out some parts in peace.

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><p>Allen followed close behind, feeling a little more confident as they went. Everything was silent. No clicks or moans to signify the presence of Infected, and no human figures of potential humans in sight. Hopefully things would stay that way, though it was only a 5050 bet.

He kept his senses alert as Lavi accessed the hood unlock mechanism and followed him to the front of the car, nodding his head.

"Ready whenever you are," he confirmed, throwing off his jacket and stretching his arms in front of him languidly, fingers laced. "Just tell me what you want me to do."

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><p>"For now, just keep a lookout an' I'll let ya know if I need your help with gettin' a piece out. Might take me a bit so I can make sure that I'm gettin' the right thing for Kro-chan."<p>

With that said, Lavi completely lets his guard down since he's put his implicit trust in Allen a long time ago. He starts to poke around in the back of the engine, body lax and lazy with his movements as he sticks out his tongue in trying to figure out which part it is that Krory wants as his mind runs through the explanations that the older man gave them.

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><p>Allen nodded his head, slow-walking around him across cracked and uprooted, uneven concrete, some dipping lower than other parts of the road.<p>

"Alright." He took to circling the car slightly, his senses trained to see or hear anything immediately concerning. The disquiet was almost somewhat unnerving and he had to try hard not to start spooking at shadows, certain that his paranoid mind was going to start playing tricks. That was the trouble with being on alert. Sometimes your mind was so insistent on seeing or hearing something that it made sights and sounds that weren't there.

He tried to busy himself somewhat as he circled, eyeing car interiors through both in-tact and broken windows for anything salvageable that other scavengers might have missed. Sometimes searching harbored nice finds. He remembered once finding two small, plastic-wrapped palettes of unopened food cans in the back of an old delivery truck, somehow missed under lots of other fallen things for seven years. That had been a lucky find. Most had gone to the ration stockpile the soldiers guarded and only thinly dispersed, but they'd managed to sneak a few cans home for themselves.

He smiled at the memory, but didn't think he'd be so lucky this time. He found a few items, but most were soiled beyond use by weathering.

As he was taking another 360 look around, he spied something through the window of a car where the concrete dipped into a shallow pit. Popping the door open, he leaned over the seat for it. He glanced around again, just to keep to his promise of keeping watch, before flipping open a book on the seat. The very corner was sun-bleached, but otherwise it was all in good order.

Maybe it would contain useful information? Whatever it was, he was sure Lavi would like it. He almost always had his head in a book after all.

"I think I found something for you to add to your bookshelf, Lavi," he tossed idly, shifting to sit in the cracking leather seat and flipping through a few pages.

He thought he heard a noise, like a rock being kicked, and glanced up alertly, but saw nothing. Even so, his senses were sharpened to a point, adrenaline already starting to put him on high alert, ready to flee at a moment's notice.

He jolted as the entire car unexpectedly shifted, bracing himself against the frame, uttering a baffled "What the-" just as the concrete started to crumble away and open into a gaping maw at least twenty feet deep and the car pitched forward like a roller coaster reaching its downward slope, and cursed.

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><p>Lavi was feeling pretty confident that he found one piece for-sure for Krory. He was currently dissembling part of the engine in order to get to the piece when he heard Allen say that he might like a book. Leaving the work for the moment to let a green eye wander over to the white-haired teen, he can't help but smile when he sees a book in Allen's hand—something becoming quite rare to find.<p>

"I think ya did. Hopefully I haven't read it yet-doubt I have. Tell me if it's any good."

Going back to the work at hand, the redhead continues to try to pick apart some pieces until he hears a bad and loud sound. He jumps a bit, hitting his head on the hood before holding his head and quickly looking to where Allen was only to see the truck lurching forward, sending Lavi into a panic when he realizes what's going on.

"Shit-ALLEN!"

He tries to run forward in the hopes that he can reach the truck—and what happens after that, he isn't even sure. But he does reach the truck and actually grabs the back of the car, seeing if it's possible for him to pull it into not tipping forward. Or maybe the ground under the truck fell too much and most of the truck is going to fall anyway…


	2. Close Call

**Immunity  
><strong>**A D Gray-Man & Last of Us Crossover**

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><p>Allen's mind was immediately screaming to jump out and run his dumb ass far away from the truck, but it was pitching forward too rapidly under receding roadway as it crumbled, and he instinctively braced himself with every available surface a limb could find.<p>

The ground and rubble that had fallen rushed up before the thought _Shit, I'm going to die _could even complete itself, jarring him forward.

He blinked out for only a moment and returned a second later with his head pounding and hands on the top of the steering wheel while the bottom of it dug uncomfortably into his lower ribs, a groan escaping his lips. A grating, repeating, elongated honk was droning from the front of the truck, making the pounding in the front of his skull worse.

At first, his movements were mere twitches, experimental.

_Am I still alive?_

He blinked his eyes open drearily, staring at the car hood which had crumpled and partially disappeared into the ground. It took him a moment to realize it had landed nose-down and stuck steeply diagonal, wedged between the ground and a dirt wall.

He coughed slightly as dust filled the air in a thin miasma, shifting to stand slightly in the seat…or against the floor panels anyway, moving to climb out onto the ajar door that made a small platform sitting about two or three feet from the ground.

"Damn it…" he hissed. "That _would _happen."

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><p>Of course Lavi wouldn't be able to hold the truck in place because too much of the road gave-way underneath it. It's weight wouldn't be counterbalanced. He let it go, much to his dismay, before taking off to the left where he sees that the pit is going down into a steeper slope so that he can safely get down there without getting hurt—possibly unlike Allen as the loud sound of metal crashing rings in his ears, the horn blaring in the silence of the hot day.<p>

Warm air means the sound would travel longer and faster. Infected would be coming sooner rather than later—and A LOT of them.

Sliding down the dirt wall, Lavi calls out to Allen again without care for being quiet since there's no point anyway. He manages to make it over to the felled car as the white-haired teen manages to climb out. The redhead skids to a halt, a bit afraid to touch Allen as a green eye looks him over.

"Jesus fuck, Allen! Why are you walkin'?! Does anything hurt?! Did ya break anything? You need to chill for just a quick moment to make sure you don't over-strain yourself before we leave! Can you even leave?!" he asks in a panic, shooting question after question.

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><p>Allen hardly noticed the truck doors groan of protest at his weight, but it held long enough for him to find his footing in the dirt and rubble that piled around the totaled vehicle, just as Lavi came skidding down into the pit with him in a half-hysterical frenzy.<p>

Instinctively, his hand went to his temple, which thrummed with the intensity of a bad hangover(not that he'd ever been drunk before). Every panic-screeched question was like another blow to his skull, making it and the back of his eyes hurt. The world spun for a dizzying moment and he couldn't quite remember sitting down, but he had.

He wanted to snap at Lavi to shut up, but the manners Mana had taught him as a child and the distantly pricking knowledge that it was just because Lavi was worried kept his tongue from carrying through. The blaring car horn didn't help either, but yelling at _that _thing to shut up obviously wouldn't have nary the same effect. Or any effect at all.

For a moment, he didn't answer, half-lidded eyes wandering over himself. He didn't _think _he was bleeding anywhere, that he could see at least. He didn't feel like anything had broken. A few bruises, maybe, but nothing broken… except maybe his frontal lobe. There was a nauseous feeling coiling in the deep pit of his stomach and back of his throat, which was the last thing he wanted on top of the migraine that had literally been slammed into him.

"I'm okay… I think. 'just hit my head." He didn't elaborate how hard, not really sure himself. He secretly hoped not bad enough to give him a concussion. He'd had one before, and they were never pleasant. Neither was the Every-Hour-on-the-Hour involuntary wake-up for several days by someone fearing you'd sleep too deeply and go into a coma. As if sleep wasn't _hard enough _to get these days.

Part of him bitterly reprimanded, _Stupid! That was stupid, Allen Walker! _He figured that was the adrenaline and the shock and the searing migraine talking. The other, alienated side of him argued that there was no way he could have known the road would just… _open up _like that, like the pit of a desertous ant-lion sucking its prey down into the earth. There was simply _no bloody fucking way _he could have predicted that would happen, right?

His eyes wandered the pit briefly that had opened up. The walls were steep, some parts made of solid stone. Would they be able to get out by climbing back up? That was questionable.

He just now noticed the open, black maw of a cave, that he realized seconds later was a man-made tunnel. A few other abandoned cars littered the inside over faded lane lines, of what he could see anyway. After a few yards, everything faded into black obscurity. That suddenly explained everything. Ten years of decay and lack of maintenance leading to the tunnel's eventual collapse.

Who the Hell ever thought that kind of set-up would be safe? If they weren't probably already dead at the hands of other people or Infected, he'd gladly wring the neck of whatever shitty architect had thought such placement was actually a _good idea_.

* * *

><p>Allen says that he hit his head. Hopefully that's all that's going to happen. Lavi looks back to where he came from, but the dirt was was too steep to be able to climb, considering the ground he slid down was dry and brittle and probably too hard to try to reach the edge. He isn't even sure if Allen could do the climb anyway. He looks to the tunnels, wondering just what the hell they were doing there, before nodding toward them.<p>

Speaking more softly, he puts a hand on the other's shoulder as he says, "We've gotta go through the tunnels. In a little bit this is gonna be Infected-Town-Square-Festival or somethin'. They're gonna be here in no time. Hopefully we can lose 'em through the tunnels. It's dark as hell in there, so we're gonna have to take off our shirts and tie 'em together so we don't lose each other, an' I'll lead the way." It's one of those times where eidetic memory will be handy. "I know you're hurtin' but we gotta do this _right now_."

As he said that, the redhead was already yanking his shirt over his head. He really didn't like the idea of them going through the tunnels—what if there's already infected in there?—but they had no choice in the matter. Being above-ground is probably a worse option since Infected would be coming in from all sides. A green eye watches Allen, seeing if he's fine enough to walk.

* * *

><p>Allen listened without a response at first, trying to massage away the pulsing behind his skull. He was glad Lavi's voice had lowered to a volume he could tolerate at the moment, but that damn car just <em>wouldn't shut up<em>. He nodded his head before pausing, patting a hand on himself and over his pockets.

"Hold on…I think I might have a flashlight," he muttered, hoping he hadn't left it in his jacket, which he'd left by the car Lavi had been working on, he recounted ruefully.

Ever since one of their other excursions, where they'd had to grapple through the dark and he'd managed to sprain his ankle tripping, he'd made it a point to try and have a light on him whenever they went "exploring", even if they didn't intend on going anywhere dark.

He was satisfied to find it wedged in his back pocket, small and compact. It wouldn't provide them with a lot of light, but enough to see their footing at least. That kind of darkness wasn't one that eyes simply adjusted to. He flicked it on, shaking it when it didn't immediately shine. It worked, but for how long was uncertain.

He handed it over and stood, slowly, so as not to end up back on his ass. The nauseating headache was continually pounding into him full force, but he'd just have to deal with it. Getting away took priority, and there was no way Infected wouldn't be on him soon.

As if on cue to lend further credibility, he heard an almost animal sound, but one he recognized fully and dreadfully. It was still somewhat distant, but that wouldn't last more than two minutes at most.

"Lead the way," he said, even as he followed at an equally urgent pace, nowhere near fond at the idea of becoming an Infected.

* * *

><p>Allen didn't have to ask twice. Lavi takes the flashlight from him since he'd be leading before slowly going through the gapping entrance to the tunnels, climbing up the small hill of rubble from the collapsed road. He makes sure that Allen is able to get up without falling over, green eye ever watchful, before they get to the other side and already it's pretty dark.<p>

"Listen, I'm not gonna keep the light on, alright? I'm gonna keep my hand on the wall to our left at all times-so we're always gonna take a left, no matter what. We're only gonna use the light in case we hear somethin'. Don't wanna waste the only light we got since it's... seemin' a bit weak. We'll use it again if we gotta stop touchin' the wall," Lavi explains.

Leaving no time for retaliations or suggestions, Lavi puts his hand on the wall and starts moving forward, pulling Allen along now that they got their shirts tied together with a smaller chance of losing each other. Hopefully they wouldn't be in these tunnels long… well, they would.

They might have to wait for the entire night for most of the Infected to leave, and then they would have to somehow sneak through the remaining Infected. What a task THAT would be!

* * *

><p>Allen nodded his head before he could think better of it and his head swam in protest, the teen having to resist groaning as the nausea hit him in full force again. He couldn't help but think by this point that he almost definitely had to have a concussion.<p>

He was more than glad to let Lavi lead and didn't protest, happy to leave behind the shrieking truck that was still blaring its horn, though he could faintly hear it echoing behind them.

Other than that, the only sounds he could hear for some time were their own light shuffling of shoes groping in the dark and testing for obstacles, and their own shallow breathing. Other than a gentle, round curve, the tunnel mostly headed singularly straight with no branching paths.

The white-haired teen couldn't help but wonder how far the tunnel went. It had to let out back to the surface at some point, right? That was the hope anyway. He supposed that when it had been serviced, before the infection, likely it had a clear exit. It might have caved in by now though and blocked such escape, not a thought he wanted to have, yet couldn't help doing so.

His hopes rose a little as he thought he saw a point of light ahead, after having almost tripped over something once, been startled by some unseen objects being kicked unintentionally, and bumping into long-abandoned cars that rested against the wall they were following.

Those hopes dwindling slightly though as he heard a sound that he knew well enough to greatly fear, a clicking, screeching noise that could only belong to one kind of Infected and made the hair on his neck tingle.

"_Clickers,_" he whispered in dreaded warning, his voice impossibly soft so that it was almost lost to his own ears.

* * *

><p>So far things were turning out pretty well. At some points—that he doubts Allen could really hear or have enough mind to focus on—he's pretty sure that he could hear shuffling down in the distant entrance of the tunnels that they came in through. It would make sense, too. It's been more than a few minutes so that entrance would be overbearing with the Infected.<p>

The two are relatively quiet before the white-haired teen rattles what sounds like a can. Lavi immediately points the light at the other's feet and sweeps the light around before finding it. It's a soda can that probably fell out of one of the cars that he now notices is up against the opposite wall.

He saw the light, too, but severely doubted it meant anything good, always learning to be the pessimist so that if something good happened than it would legit bring a good surprise in him. They were so close but it was warm enough that the air carried the clattering down the tunnel's echoing to where Clickers heard it.

Man, they were fucked if that light down there didn't mean anything good for them.

"We'll have to run," Lavi whispers to Allen. "There'll be too many Clickers-even if we're quiet they'll push each other forward and catch up to us. You ready?"

Hopefully the teen is ready because they really have no choice in the matter—as much as Lavi hates to have to let it come to this.

* * *

><p>"Yeah," Allen whispered back, his voice betraying a slight tremble. He could see a glimmer of light ahead, and the light that Lavi shone with his flashlight, but not much else. He certainly couldn't make out any forms of where the Infected might be, and he didn't want to have to find out, but there wasn't much choice at this point.<p>

His head still hurt but he'd been gaining a bit more clarity as they'd been walking, and now with his senses on alert for danger, he thought the headache was ebbing a bit more.

"Ready whenever you are."

* * *

><p>"T-Try to run as quietly as you can, Beansprout," Lavi says with a strained smile that he knows Allen can't see. It's a smile that shows how much he knows that they might be royally fucked over right now. He waits a moment to make sure he can still hear the clicking before putting a hand on Allen's shoulder and whispering, "<em>Now<em>!"

He tries to be as nice as possible in pulling Allen after him so that the teen isn't caught by surprise. He shines the flashlight in front of them so they can at least know if they're going to hit an object, but otherwise Lavi tries to run at the best speed possible so that the white-haired male can keep up.

Unfortunately, running quietly isn't going to necessarily help. The Clickers can hear the echos and are running faster and are quickly starting to gain on them.

* * *

><p>Allen nodded, despite not being sure if Lavi could see it, entirely forgetting to correct that nickname that he hated. Not that it'd be important right now even had he remembered.<p>

He was ready when Lavi gave his cue, the tension in his body having wound itself like a coiled spring ready to launch by then, and he didn't hesitate even a second to follow. He heard the howls of Infected, Clickers and probably Runners and Stalkers alike, alerted to their presence and ravenous to rip them apart worse than starving wolves on a fresh carcass.

He was only a step behind Lavi, barely bothering to think, other than to run, to _keep running, don't look back, don't think, just run!_

An empty bottle on their path went flying as it was kicked, crashing somewhere off to the side, followed by more intense howls from the Infected that pursued, but he could only hope they were gaining ground and those _things _were losing it.

The shred of light ahead was getting bigger though, spots of light that sat in a neat, long row, like windows. Like…like…

_Bus windows. Oh god, no… let them be broken. Let them be broken. Please be broken!_

His thoughts cut short as he barreled into something…or something barreled into him. He wasn't sure which. He wasn't even sure what it was… if he'd been running too hard and ran into Lavi, or if Lavi had stopped abruptly, or if something else had run into him… or….

All he knew was he was on the ground in a tangle of limbs with broken bits of cracked roadway and some other long abandoned objects digging into his backside… and a horrid _screeeeeeech _that definitely _wasn't _Lavi.

He instinctively lashed out just as the thing had recovered from its own collision and snapped teeth at him, clawing madly and howling and keening some twisted noise that wasn't human _or _animal at him.

He already had a hand on his knife and jammed it into the side of its skull before he could even consciously think to do it, twisting and trying to kick the attacker off. Just as quickly as he kicked it off into a writhing, dying mess and found his feet, two more were on him, all but shoving him against the wall as they leapt.

There wasn't enough room for him to hold them both back _and _use his knife to kill them, so with a dreaded breath, he held one off and kicked the other back momentarily, reaching for his gun and glad it hadn't fallen out to be lost in the darkness when he'd first fallen, and fired several shots as the second Infected recovered and lunged in to attack him again.

* * *

><p>It's not like two tied-shirts are as strong as chains. Lavi could hear something gaining, but apparently Allen couldn't since Lavi was trying to urge him on. With a cold sweat coming in hard, in no time something tackled his friend behind him, which yanks the shirt and almost sends Lavi reeling as he comes to an abrupt stop, able to skid along the ground since the shirts came undone.<p>

A sharp pain goes up the redhead's arm from his elbow when it crashed down on the hard ground. He hisses before a screech almost makes his eardrums burst. Turning around, he quickly gets up and takes out his hammer. He's just in time to see Allen stab one Infected through the head, but then two more come in.

The first Infected that got shot didn't go down that easily. Lavi went for that one. He grabbed it by its tattered clothes and slammed his hammer on its head a few times as its body crumples to the ground, leaving Allen with the second Infected and confident he can get rid of it.

* * *

><p>Allen saw Lavi lunge for the shot Infected and pull it off him, turning his attention to the one that was still trying to get at his throat and rip it open like a wild predator, snarling a noise that was only vaguely human.<p>

The whitette gulped apprehensively and levelled his gun at its temple, firing a few rounds into its skull. It gurgled a sickening sound and slumped to the ground with a few last compulsive twitches as a pool of blood started to pour out from the back of it's blown-out head, staining the cracked stones in a crimson wash.

Oh _God _he was going to be sick. He couldn't tell if the rising nausea was from the terror of almost getting ripped apart that was making him shake with adrenaline or the sight of the _almost human _form with its brains leaking out everywhere or the aftereffects of firing the gun or the headache behind his eyes pounding its way mercilessly and dizzyingly back to the surface.

He didn't have time to dwell on it though, more Infected howls quickly gaining towards their threshold of half-light bordering between the tunnels and the open outside. If only a _damn bus _didn't block their way.

"Lavi, see if there's a way we can get around or through that thing," Allen directed to the bus as he reloaded a fresh clip of bullets, his hands trembling, having to focus on just not dropping the damn things as he did so. "I-I'll cover you while you find us a way out of here."

* * *

><p>This is not what Lavi wants to happen. The gun shots was bringing basically every single Infected that had probably come because of the horn from the truck that fell at the other end. Lavi glances back toward the bus, not sure if he should allow Allen to be the one to shoot since he hit his head. There's really no time to argue—every second counting toward their lives either being kept or being given to those Infected.<p>

"I think there was a fork a little further down. See if you can send the Infected in the other tunnel," Lavi suggests. He doesn't stay to see if Allen would take that advice before lunging to the bus and using his hammer to smash the window to the driver's seat.

He briefly looks around before trying to pull a rock toward the smashed window so he can have an easier time of climbing through the window without the glass cutting into his hands and legs and torso if he tried getting inside without the aid of the rock. Once he has the rock under the window, he climbs up and uses the height-difference to get rid of the last of the glass and haul himself into the bus.

Now he just has to wait to see if Allen comes back so that Lavi can pull him through the window…

* * *

><p>"Right," Allen returned, trusting that Lavi would find a way through quicker than he would. His pounding head was making it harder to think, but either way, Lavi was the smarter one between them and had a better chance of solving their barrier problem more quickly.<p>

He rubbed his temple with a wince and suppressed a groan as he jogged back towards the tunnel and nearer to the Infected, ducking just behind a car and listening. They were getting close.

He carefully felt around the darkness and found a piece of broken rock. That would probably at least offer them a brief distraction. He chucked it overhead and heard it bounce off metal somewhere loudly, the Infected screeching. He held his breath and listened, looking, trying to make sense of what was happening through the shadows and nauseating drum of his pounding head. It seemed like the Infected had momentarily given up their chase, screeching and blindly stumbling through the darkness for the source of the fallen rock, dumbly hoping to find their prey there.

He found another piece of rock and threw it, hopefully further, and heard it clack across bare stone. The Infected snarled their fury again and chased the noise further away, having no concept of decoys.

He straightened up slightly, then stiffened as he heard a closer noise, though quieter, of either a Runner or Stalker moaning as it prowled the shadows. It was too dark to see well though, and his silvery eyes darted about blindly for where it was. After a moment he heard it utter a howl and start sprinting, coming closer.

He whipped his gun around but didn't fully realize its direction until a second before it bowled into him. He scrambled against the stones with his deformed arm holding it back and tried to kick it off, firing three rounds into its gut. It snarled and writhed, and he finally managed to get free, jumping to his feet. He fired another two rounds into it, finally silencing the creature.

He heard a plethora of other howls and screeches nearing, more running feet, and fired. He wasn't sure if he'd even hit anything, but heard their anger intensify and his gun give a hollow _click _of an empty chamber.

"_Shit."_

He immediately turned and sprinted, not having time to load another clip, praying that Lavi had found a way through by now. He was relieved to see the redhead had managed to get through, beckoning for him, and scrambled up into the bus faster than he thought must've been humanly possible.

"They're _right _behind me," he gasped breathlessly, even knowing Lavi was probably fully aware. "We've g-gotta keep moving, and fast."

* * *

><p>Lavi nods, pulling Allen up and through the window after having made sure that there were no more glass shards there to cut the white-haired teen—after all, there was something there that had put a cut on Lavi's chest a little but nothing too serious. Pulling Allen through, he pulls him to the bus's door. He pulls the lever and they're through.<p>

"Alright Beansprout. You still good to run?" Lavi asks as he pulls him in a fast-walk. "I think it'll take those Infected a little bit to get through that small window since they're all gonna try doin' it at once."

Without waiting for a real answer, he pulls Allen into a run anyway. They're at the end and it looks like a building had collapsed. It was a store. There are shelves and rubble showing that the light was coming through a hole in the roof that leads up to the streets. Thankfully, there's wires hanging from the hole in the roof and there's a shelf supported by large rocks. They'll be able to climb on the shelf, and then pull themselves up by the wires hanging out from the roof.

* * *

><p>Allen stumbled along as Lavi led the way, first at a walk, then a run. He managed to keep his footing though, not terribly happy with having to run but a lot happier than he would've been waiting around to be eaten by Infected. If there was one thing he knew about them above all else, it was that being ripped apart alive was not a pleasant nor a quick way to go.<p>

"Yeah, sure, I'll just hack up a lung as we go," he sneered with irritated sarcasm, not directed explicitly at Lavi but more at the entire situation they found themselves in that was putting him in a very cynical mood. Next time anyone wanted him to go play fetch outside the quarantine zone, the answer was a definitive _NO_. "Maybe I'll even run a little faster without one less vital organ weighing me down."

* * *

><p>"If you lose an organ, try losin' your liver since it's the largest organ in your body!" Lavi laughs a little ruefully as they start climbing over the smaller rocks.<p>

He shakes the shelf experimentally for a moment, noticing that it's a little wobbly but that it's fine. He nods toward Allen, deciding he'd be the first to get out since he already had to put up with the infected. Now it's Lavi's turn to possibly sacrifice himself to help the other. After all, Allen is younger and has a better chance at living and such as that, even if his arm gets these glowers from other people.

* * *

><p>"Thanks, I'll remember that next time it becomes relevant," Allen rebuked morbidly.<p>

He was glad to have even a few seconds to stop and breathe, propping his hands on his knees as Lavi tested their escape route. He saw the wordless nod and immediately realized Lavi was volunteering him to go first.

He straightened up and shook his head slightly in exasperation, more than ready to just go home and collapse. "If there's anything else up there, I swear I'm going to scream and tear my hair out," he muttered humorlessly, carefully clamoring up. The shelf shifted underfoot questionably but held as he moved to climb, at first only peaking his head out the top to check for any immediate danger, then heaved himself up the rest of the way and turned to offer a hand up, with a nervous glance toward the tunnels and the once again nearing sound of Infected.

"Come on, it's clear up here."

* * *

><p>It was starting to sound like one of the infected managed to finally get through the window in the bus that was blocking the way, but he thinks he can hear a few more shuffling footsteps. Seems they might've piled up and climbed over each other like a ramp used for wheel chairs.<p>

Lavi looks up when he hears Allen saying it's okay. He tests the shelf again by shaking it, hoping that it'd hold with no one there to hold it. Climbing up carefully—the groans and clicks coming closer—the redhead grabs onto a wire and pulls himself up just enough to grab Allen's hand. Just as he's pulled up a Clicker reached up for him but got a handful of air.

Now safely above, Lavi takes a moment to get a breather before nodding and nudging Allen's good arm weakly saying, "Alright, let's high tail it an' get back to base."

* * *

><p>Allen returned the smile with an exasperated one of his own.<p>

"You won't hear any complaints from me on that plan," he returned, jogging at Lavi's side. He spared a glance over his shoulder, but it didn't seem as though the Infected had managed to climb after them. Yet. _Yet _was the key word though, and there was no telling whether or not there would be other Infected nearby just waiting to pounce.

After only another minute or two of running a few blocks of city street, and only just breaking past them and towards the safety of the Zone, Infected were coming out of the woodwork again just behind them, screeching and pursuing in a pack. Whether it was the same ones they'd first encountered in the tunnels or entirely different ones, Allen wasn't sure. More to the point, he didn't care, picking up his pace to a sprint that had the blood _roaring _in his ears by the time they reached the gate.

"Hold up," one of the guardsmen halted with his free hand. "Scan first, then you get to go inside." He recognized them as the same soldiers that had originally escorted them outside, but they seemed sharp enough to realize why the two were returning so late at such a fast pace without even asking.

"The Infected aren't far behind us," Allen gasped, directing over his shoulder.

"You know the drill. _No _except-" the man trailed off and took a few steps forward and around them, tilting his head up as the pursuing creatures appeared, still giving full chase. "_Shit_, how many did you bring with you? Open the gate, we're going inside," he barked. The other nodded and pounded a fist on the metal door.

"Open the gate!"

There were several agonizing seconds where they couldn't hear or see any sign of that happening, with every second the Infected drawing closer, before it finally rattled open just enough for them to squeeze through one at a time.

"Get inside, _go_!"

Allen didn't have to be told even once, never mind twice, and quickly squeezed in, the gate soon shut with all four inside and the soldiers sprinting up to the wall to defend it with gunfire.

Allen couldn't help but lean his back against a wall and slide down, still trembling with adrenaline and trying to regain his breath. His head was pounding again full force in nauseating tandem and he gingerly wiped beads of sweat of his brow and the pronounced bump that he was only now noticing.

"I don't know about you," he panted, sounding relieved just to be _back_ at all. "But I could really go for a shower."

* * *

><p>Lavi's trained eye had seen those Infected as they tried barreling through the small window in that bus. He was confident it would take them a while to get near them, so he didn't bother looking back as they started to run to get back to base. It was mostly quiet, Lavi not bothering to look back either because it might make him trip. He settles with trying to listen for anything suspicious.<p>

It's only when they actually see the base that he thinks he hears something, but it's quickly covered when the soldiers yell as they point out the two teens. The two come to a stop before the two guards—despite having more muscle, being taller and heavier still makes Lavi more winded so of course Allen is the one to talk—and is about to make a comment when the two guys notice the Infected following.

Lavi turns around to see just how close they were, face falling into a grim look. He turns back to the door, heart starting to pound against his ears as the door takes too long (in his view) and he can hear the Infected quickly closing in on them. But sweet Hallelujah, the door opens! They all slip inside and just as it shuts, there's a large banging as the Infected thrust themselves against the door.

Leaning against the opposite wall as the two guards leave to defend the wall, Lavi leans on his knees, still trying to catch his breath as he gives a half-hearted attempt at a smile with Allen's comment.

"I'm sweaty as hell so sounds good to me. L-Let's... get out of here 'cause after... this close call I don't wanna be around those things for... the rest of the day," Lavi says between breathes. He stands up straight, holding a hand out to Allen.

* * *

><p>Allen nodded his agreement, glad for the hand up and following Lavi as they walked. His head was still pulsing, having to resist wincing and trying to massage it away with one hand. He was tired, sore, sweaty, and pretty sure he was probably flecked in at least <em>some <em>Infected bits after using his gun on a few close-range. He didn't bother to look or think too hard on that last one because he didn't want to add _physically sick_ onto his list of current ailments.

He glanced skyward and noticed that it'd likely be sunset soon, and then dark after that. Had they really been gone so long? Or maybe they'd simply set out late and he hadn't noticed. It didn't matter, he supposed. He would be quite happy to simply curl up and snooze in his apartment.

"I just want to have a nice warm shower, a snack, and then a full night of sleep," he mused wistfully, casting a glance over his shoulder. The hoard of Infected had him worried, but he was too drained to care very much. The soldiers would handle it easily enough, then there'd be no problem. They always did. "If I have any luck, hopefully I'll get all three."

* * *

><p>Lavi's breathing manages to calm down as he puts his hands behind his head to breath in mostly fresh air. He makes a mental note that he would have to clean his hammer and gloves of any bits of infected human flesh after smashing an Infected's head. And it suddenly occurs to Lavi that Allen hit his head.<p>

"When you get the chance, make sure that you see a doctor since you hit your head, just in case," Lavi says. "Don't want you to go to sleep an' then never wake up, ya know?"

Right after that suggestion, it's time for them to part ways. Lavi rubs his face, letting out a low groan since he's now getting closer to home. They still had no shirts and it was getting a little chilly due to the sweat still coating his skin and the fact it's windy.

Turning to Allen he says, "I'll drop by later to make sure you're fine whether ya want me to or not."

* * *

><p>Allen looked sheepish and idly scratched the side of his face with one finger, laughing lightly.<p>

"Yeah, I'll remember to do that," he promised. He figured there would be enough time to take a shower and hopefully find a doctor before curfew, if nothing else, so Lavi would have some peace of mind. He supposed that even if he was caught out after hours, he could always explain himself and hoped the patrolsmen wouldn't be too testy. Some days they were understanding, others… not so much.

"Anyway, I'll see you a little later, then," he offered up in parting, heading away. He really was eager to just unwind after the day they'd had, glad they actually even had that luxury with the quarantine zone. He'd been without as much before, during the earlier years of the Infection, but it also hadn't been as bad back then as it was now.


	3. The Revelation

**Immunity  
><strong>**A D Gray-Man & Last of Us Crossover**

* * *

><p>When he finally found his room in one of the apartment buildings, Allen couldn't help but lean his back against the door inside and enjoy the silence for a moment, closing his eyes. No gun-shots. No marching feet. No Infected howling at his heels. The shrill sound that did make itself known in the near-silence of the room made him smile as a slight weight landed on top of his head, chirping a cockatiel greeting.<p>

He picked the golden little bird off his head, that craned its head at him and hopped onto his shoulder, nibbling at his ear and warbling affection. He reached a hand up to scratch behind its head.

"I'm happy to see you too, Tim."

He walked across the room and ignored the sharp little claws on his shoulder, not minding them so much, as he pulled off his shoes and set his gun and knife aside in his drawer for safe keeping, unloading the empty clip, and went to get a glass of water, chugging it down with a satisfied sigh. He briefly washed his hands to refill Timcanpy's food and set the bird aside before going to the small bathroom, glancing his own pale face and the pink scar that traveled from brow to cheek on the left side.

"I survived another day, Mana," he murmured to himself, something he only did when he was alone. Even around Lavi, whom he counted like a brother, he rarely brought up his foster father. "I didn't think I would this time, but I did. I'm still alive. Still walking."

Talking to himself as if the man was still around, listening somehow, brought him a certain peace of mind. Occasionally he even entertained the thought that the man who had adopted and cared for him when no one else would was secretly alive somewhere, and maybe they'd meet again, but he wasn't delusional enough to actually believe his own dredged up fantasies. He fully knew the hard truth. The scar on his face was a constant reminder of that. He simply didn't want to think about it. Pretending to himself that Mana had somehow survived uninfected was far less depressing.

He went about disrobing, not having much to take off already seeing as he'd lost both his shirt and jacket outside, and stepped into the shower. The water was only mildly warm at best, but it was better than nothing, letting it wash away his thoughts along with the sweat and blood on his skin, filling his mind only with the drumming of droplets against tile.

After some time scrubbing and idly tracing his hands over himself, letting his mind remain blissfully blank, he paused curiously as fingers of his normal right hand traced the rough, malformed flesh of his left arm, ghosting over a small indent, then another.

Huh… he hadn't remembered that. He continued to trace it with his index, realizing that there were more, forming a sort of half-circle. Okay, so that was a little weird…

He craned his head slightly and raised his arm, trying to get a better look. A knot of dread was forming in his gut, raising the hairs on the back of his neck, and it had nothing to do with the cooling shower water. He quickly turned it on and stepped out, walking quickly to the mirror and trying to get a better look. Two parallel rows of semi-circle's indented the flesh of his deformed arm, and his silvery eyes widened.

"Oh no…" He barely even breathed. "Don't tell me…"

_How? When?! _He'd been _bitten! _But he hadn't even _felt _it! How could he not notice? And now, he was… he was…

"….I'm going to be sick," he muttered, bracing his hands on the counter edge to keep himself from swaying and suddenly having a hard time just _breathing_, unsure at this point if it was the headache or the realization that he was basically now one of those _things_ outside and having no idea what he should do now.

"O-okay, just… just calm down. M-maybe… it's not a bite. Maybe you got that some other way," he tried to reason, even though he didn't believe a word of it himself. But _damn it _he couldn't' be _infected_! "Maybe you just… fell on a broken bottle… or something. Or some circular metal piece and it cut you, that's all," he continued as he rigorously dried himself off, going to is room to put on fresh clothes. "I mean… stranger things have happened, right? You don't _really_ know. It's not like you've actually been scanned. It could just be a big misunderstanding, that's all."

Oh _God _he hoped that was all it was.

After dressing himself, he paced the room in agitated thought, trying to decide what to do. If he went to one of the soldiers and it turned out he was infected - God forbid - they'd shoot him dead on the spot. Hell, what did it matter if he'd lose all his humanity within two days at most anyway? But he didn't want to put the others through that. Lenalee would cry for weeks, and Lavi… he'd probably have to deal with it directly and make a record of it. The idea of that hurt even worse. Lenalee would probably only hear about it, but Lavi… he'd probably have to actually _see_ it.

But what was he supposed to actually _do_?! He couldn't just keep it a secret and wait until he turned into one of those creatures. Until he possibly even killed or infected his friends!

He scrubbed a hand down his face in frustration, growling low to himself.

Okay so maybe… maybe he could find a scanner and just check himself without anyone else knowing. If it turned out he wasn't one, then he could just put it all behind him. No worries. But what if it turned out he _was_ infected?

_One thing at a time, Allen. You can figure out how to cross that bridge when you come to it._

He settled for finding a scanner himself, throwing on a dark hoodie and leaving, making sure Tim stayed inside and didn't follow him out the door. It was already nearly dark. Curfew would be in effect soon, if it wasn't already.

Barely anyone was outside anymore, and he could still hear distant gunfire. It seemed that the military was still busy fending off the Infected. At least it would make it easier to get around unconfronted though.

He pulled the hood over his white head of hair and slunk through the street, careful to dodge onlookers or patrolsmen that were still monitoring the streets, until he found the main building where many of the town officials had their offices. Hardly anyone was present, and those that were too preoccupied to notice him slip by until he found the one office he was looking for.

Komui was always messing around with gadgets and helping fix things. Surely he had to have a scanner somewhere in his office too? He wondered what he would say if the man was present and awake, but he supposed he could always lie and say that one of the guards had requested he fetch it for them, maybe that theirs broke. That would suffice, wouldn't it? He was glad it didn't come to that as he found it empty though, and it didn't take much searching to find it. Komui was never a very orderly person, so a lot of his projects were always just laying out in the open.

Heck, he wouldn't even have to take it with him anywhere now, since he was alone. He flicked it on and pressed it to the back of his neck, forcing his breath steady and trying to be optimistic, but the seconds that ticked by while the machine worked were almost _painful, _the teen fidgeting in apprehension.

He was relieved to hear it finally give an indicative beep and pulled it away, momentarily closing his eyes as he chanted to himself, "Please be negative. Please be negative."

He opened them, and after staring at it for a few moments, dropped the device into a pile of papers littering the floor and sat down, burying his face in his hands with a mournful, "Oh my _GOD_."

He wanted to cry. There wasn't any getting around it now. He was _Infected_. Everything up to this point for him wasn't worth anything anymore. The sacrifice his foster father made to protect him… his friends… this was going to hurt them so much. At the very least, Mana wasn't alive for him to hurt with this knowledge, and soon enough he wouldn't be either, but his friends…

And the worst part was that he didn't know what to do about it. He mulled over all the possibilities in his head again and again, but his thoughts were too muddled and tumultuous. He couldn't think clearly, and it was _so hard_ to breathe.

After a while, though he absolutely hated himself with every fiber of his being for it, he knew he was going to need to ask for help. Lavi always seemed to know what to do, and as much as it pained him, the redhead would find out eventually anyway, and prolonging it wouldn't make it any easier. At least then maybe he could offer some kind of reassurance, as opposed to if his friend had to suddenly go report on another shooting of an infected person, only to discover that it was his own close friend, with no explanation behind any of it. He figured Lavi deserved that much, at the very least. Just… some kind of explanation.

Allen sucked in a few harsh breaths, turning off the scanner and leaving quietly, though with his thoughts and emotions still spinning like a raging storm. He crept along the streets carefully until he found Lavi's building, managing to slip inside and find the door to his and Bookman's living quarters, rapping his fist on the door more urgently than he'd meant to, but he was having a _really_ hard time steadying his nerves.

* * *

><p>Having to leave Allen while the guy might have a suspected concussion is not exactly the most fun thing for Lavi to have to do. He had walked a bit before stopping and turning around, watching Allen to be sure that he didn't stumble along the pathway now that he's managed to calm down. When everything looked fine—with Allen slinking off quickly—he turns back around and stalks back 'home.'<p>

'Home' is in an apartment above the library in town. Home is that small corridor right in-between the library and the next building—originally a grocery store that's been turned into a storage space—where a person can go up a small hallway and make it to the Bookman's door.

And upon entering there would be an immediate mess everywhere. Corners filled with stacked newspapers and random sheets of papers meaning nothing to others, chairs not being used for a few years due to the large stacks of books put on them, desks left in chaos with labels and folders and documents still needing to be filed.

Yet the hallways inside the apartment and walkways are kept pretty clean so that the old man and his grandson can walk to-and-from rooms quite easily. Lavi calls out a greeting when he opens the door, accidentally hitting the doorknob against the wall which causes Bookman to holler, "_What did I tell you about the door_?!"

"Sorry Gramps!" Lavi apologizes wearily.

Bookman—as he declared himself when coming to this safe haven—comes from the kitchen with two cups of tea, eyes taking in Lavi's appearance with a raised eyebrow. Giving a sheepish smile, the younger male rubs his head as he briefly explains what happened. Heaving a sigh, Bookman lets Lavi go to take a shower saying that he would be doing the work today. It's not apparent, but the old guy is happy Lavi is alive.

It takes Lavi twenty minutes to wash up, taking his time to get rid of those feelings he gained after being chased down and almost caught this time. When he came out, dressed and ready to go, he managed to help Bookman for a little while, storing away some books and documents that need to be filed and sorted out later to put away.

The door knocks, lightly surprising Bookman. He gets up to answer it and when he sees a somewhat pale Allen, he turns around and calls for Lavi, thinking that the 'kid' was still a little terrified of what transpired for them earlier. Bookman leaves the living room as Lavi waves Allen inside.

"What's goin' on Allen? Your head feelin' alright? Bookman's gettin' ready to head down to the library to put a few things away, so do ya think ya need 'im for anything?"

* * *

><p>Allen wasn't the happiest teen in the world to see Bookman at the moment. He didn't dislike the old man or anything. He wasn't necessarily <em>fond <em>of the elder - Bookman was sort of a hard person to become endeared to, seeing as he showed little personal interest in much of anyone else - but Allen didn't have anything _against_ him either. He just wasn't sure he had the nerve to bring up his little 'problem' with anyone other than Lavi at the moment, even if Bookman might've been more helpful in knowing what to do.

He stepped inside and momentarily watched Lavi's keeper go about his own business, then turned grey eyes to Lavi. He was already having a hard time just looking at his friend, knowing that this was going to hit him hard.

"No, I didn't come because I needed anything from Bookman," he said, his tone polite but faintly strained. "Um, actually I came to see you. Can we… talk for a moment?" In case he didn't entirely catch the hint, since, for all his intelligence, Lavi could sometimes be slow on the uptake, he directed more clearly, "Just the two of us? If that's okay, I mean…"

* * *

><p>"Yeah yeah yeah, 'course it's okay," Lavi says, that last comment tipping him off that Allen has something serious to talk about and not just something funny that couldn't wait until tomorrow. "We'll go to my room, 'kay?"<p>

Leading the way, the redhead goes through the hall and to his room at the end of the small hall and to the left. Just like the rest of the house it's messy—but even more so. He removes a pile of books off a stool and motions for Allen to sit on the bed as the redhead adjusts his pants to sit down comfortably after closing the door. Thankfully, all the paper and books make his room soundproof, in a way.

And Bookman wouldn't care to listen in either.

"What's eatin' at ya, Allen? I mean, hopefully your mind ain't workin' weird after you hit your head. Or did the doctor say you need supervising but couldn't do it?"

* * *

><p>Allen was undoubtedly glad for the privacy when Lavi offered it, following the redhead to his room, of which the mess could rival Komui's messy office, which was a nightmare to look at even on a good day. He'd learned that Lavi could still find basically anything in it easily, though how, he could only guess. He'd heard Lavi refer to it as 'organized chaos' on more than one occasion.<p>

He waited patiently for the redhead to clear a spot and sat down, though now that they were actually alone where they could talk, he felt choked up, his throat tight and chest feeling weighed down like it was filled with lead, second-guessing himself. Suddenly telling Lavi seemed like a _terrible _idea.

_If he doesn't find out here, he's going to find out tomorrow, after a soldier puts a bullet through your skull, or you try to eat someone._

"No, I didn't go to see a doctor," he admitted as he idly fidgeted with the sleeve of his hoodie, more just to stall so he had another few seconds to think. He'd actually forgotten all about that already, too preoccupied with his realization. He supposed it didn't exactly matter now anyway, concussion or not.

Now he was just trying to figure out how to break the news, wondering where to start. Several possibilities came to mind, some much more long-winded and round-about than others, but none of them seemed sufficient. At the very least, he wasn't going to have to tell Lavi to sit down for this so he didn't possibly fall over in shock.

He finally settled on just coming out and saying it, not wanting to prolong the inevitable any longer. He took a deep breath, leveling his eyes with Lavi's, which had previously been slightly downcast in thought. He almost flinched at the curious concern that only subtly indented Lavi's features, knowing that he was about to make both their day that much worse than it had already been.

"Lavi… I was bit."

* * *

><p>As Allen sits there in contemplation, Lavi raising an eyebrow in confusion, it's when he hears very quietly muffled sounds of Bookman closing the door to his own room. So the old man is gone and now Lavi knows there's no worrying over if they're heard or not.<p>

As the seconds start ticking by, it gets him increasingly worried because it's not like the white-haired teen to be quiet like this on a normal standard. He frowns when Allen admits to not going to the doctor, though. It has to be grave based on the quiet, so he waits and he waits.

And he regrets waiting.

"B-Bit?" he questions in a stutter, an unbelieving smile coming onto his face. "Ahaha, ya sure there, Beansprout? Lemme see. I bet it's not even a real bite or somethin' an' your brain is jus' makin' you see things. I wonder if ya really DO have a concussion or somethin'," he says, holding out his hand for Allen to show him the bite—or he thinks lack-thereof.

* * *

><p>Allen sighed softly, unsure whether he should feel hurt or relieved by Lavi's calm denial.<p>

…okay, so that wasn't quite right. He was sure Lavi was a lot less calm inside than he showed. The redhead was good at pretending to have a level head even when he didn't. He could tell that his friend was trying to grasp at _something _to make it turn out to be false and logic it away. That Lavi simply didn't want it to be true. A sentiment he deeply shared, which was making his chest pinch tightly.

He worked his hoodie off over his head and pulled his sleeve up to his shoulder, tilting his deformed arm up and making it a point to directly to exactly where it was so the redhead wouldn't have to waste time looking for it.

He couldn't quite bring himself to look Lavi in the face at this point, having a fairly good idea of what he'd probably see there if he did.

"I… I thought maybe I was just tired and being paranoid… I mean, I didn't feel anything bite me, so, how could that be it?" The last part of the statement came out as sort of a shaky laugh, spoken a little too quickly with barely withheld panic, vaguely manic in undertone. He was trying - and failing - to at least _appear _like he wasn't breaking down inside. "…so… I snuck into Komui's office to find a scanner and thought it would show up negative, but…" he trailed off at this point, unable to go on, but he knew Lavi would already know the rest without needing to continue.

The whole time, his thoughts were ringing in a tempest in his head, telling him one thing after another.

That he was a disappointment for wasting the extra chance Mana had sacrificed his life to give Allen, twice; once to take him in and raise him, and the other to drive him away, so that he could continue to live, even though Mana couldn't.

That he was an idiot for getting bitten in the first place and _not freaking noticing_!

That he was a terrible person for telling Lavi this, even though he knew it was going to be devastating, even if he knew that it couldn't be avoided that he find out. And the rest of his friends… what were they going to think? He already knew Lenalee was going to sob her eyes out, probably for weeks. Komui would be depressed and probably absorb himself in tinkering with his gadgets for a while, and work on upping defenses, including protective clothing, to keep anyone else from suffering the same fate. Miranda and Krory would probably cry for a bit, then be depressed for a while, but go about trying to help somehow. And Kanda… well, he'd probably just go about his business the same as any day, like Allen was never there to begin with. Even if Kanda _did_ somehow care - which he had a hard time believing, though he wanted to think the temperamental older teen had _some_ kind of soft spot in there somewhere, even if they didn't get along - he'd never show it. Kanda was too reserved of a person to let anyone know if it bothered him at all.

Allen drew in a shuddering breath, blinking back forming tears that he refused to let fall, and finally managed to whisper out what he'd been struggling to solidify with words up until this point.

"…I'm infected."

* * *

><p>Lavi counts the stars that Allen was refusing to look at him as he describes what he did that led to the realization that he had been infected. Lavi listened, face contorting into one of forced disbelief, and yet anguish. Eyebrows knot together and upward, green eye's pupil constricting as Lavi's jaw clenches and tightens, baring his teeth slightly as he frowns deeply.<p>

The redhead stands up from the stool as Allen confirms what he was thinking—that he's infected according to Komui's sensor. Lavi mutters curses under his breath as he starts pacing back and forth, mind racing a mile a minute as he's acutely aware of everything around him quite suddenly as he tries thinking of something they can do. None of them are very promising or very safe.

"Shit shit shit, God dammit," he says a bit loudly as he stops to rub his face and eyes, yanking off his headband and throwing it at his messy desk. He leans his head against the wall as he says, "Infected, infected... a-alright. We gotta do somethin' about it, of course. I-I mean... w-we gotta do somethin'. We can't just-..."

Lavi is instantly ashamed of the thought process he's developing in this new enlightenment. He actually doesn't want Allen to die. The white-haired teen is one of the very few that Lavi absolutely DOES NOT want to have die. The guy is up-beat and like a ray of sunlight in this dismally gray world. He might even go to great lengths to keep him alive…

"M-Maybe the infection hasn't s-spread that far yet... from your arm. I-I mean... maybe we can go to the doctor a-and... have him... get rid of the infected area."

He can't believe he just suggested to Allen that they amputate his arm to keep him alive—as if he didn't get put up with enough shit over having a red arm.

* * *

><p>Allen still couldn't bring himself to look directly at the redhead at the moment. It was already taking him all of his willpower to keep himself together. He couldn't even begin to guess which one of them felt worse at this point.<p>

True, Lavi wasn't as closed off and reserved as Kanda was, but he wasn't someone that was terribly open and let most others "in" much either. Not on a deeply personal level anyway. Allen was one of the few blessed to have earned Lavi's favor, whom he actually cared for, and Lavi didn't genuinely care for a lot of people, but for those he did, his emotions ran deep.

But of course _he_ had to be the bearer of the bad news that was undoubtedly wounding Lavi in that soft spot he wasn't even supposed to _have_ in the first place.

"Sorry…" he couldn't help but offer up weakly as Lavi paced restlessly, Allen's silvery eyes watching the redhead walk back and forth. The pacing wasn't helping his own mood, but he chose not to say anything, not wanting to make either of them feel worse by it, and he figured Lavi had a right to it at this point.

He listened to Lavi stuttering, mainly to himself it seemed, trying to work through the problem. Allen visibly paled at the suggestion that they cut off his arm. So sure, he wasn't exactly fond of the damn thing. It had caused him no shortage of strife throughout his life, especially before meeting Mana when he was far younger, but it was still his _arm_.

After a moment he managed to push his shock aside and shook his head slightly. If he thought that it was actually going to help, he might've considered it, but…

"Lavi, it's been _hours_ since it happened." He hated to be the voice of pessimism at the moment, especially when he knew how big of a deal this was to Lavi and how close they were, but he didn't see a way around it, even if every word that left his lips to basically beat down the redhead's hopes was crushing his own soul a little more, bit by bit. "I don't think that's going to do me any good, and they're likely to just kill me on the spot as soon as they find out what happened. They don't take chances."

True, he was mild-natured and polite around most people, but that didn't mean he trusted them. He knew how to put up a good mask, but he'd been on the recieving end of people's brutality too many times to truly let his guard down - save for a very small handful of individuals, of which Lavi was one - and he had very little reason to believe he wouldn't end up on the recieving end again this time too.

He sighed audibly and lowered his eyes again to his lap. "I guess it wouldn't really matter at this point though if they did. One way or the other, I won't be alive anymore given two days at most." So technically he might still be 'alive', but there wouldn't be anything left of him as Allen Walker anymore, just another ravenous Infected bent on ripping apart any person it could find. He considered it the same as dying, anyway. "At least then I won't run the risk of infecting or killing anyone else."

* * *

><p>"No. No no no no," Lavi hisses, slamming his fist on the wall as he grinds his teeth, thinking some more although all he can come up with are decisions that are just, by and far, the worst to consider. "No. It's gotta be wrong somehow. It's <em>gotta<em> be. Maybe Komui tinkered with it too much an' it doesn't know an infected person with a cold and an actual Infected. We can try lookin' again tomorrow!"

He's feeling rather pathetic at this point, visibly showing how much he's not wanting this to be true. Allen is one of the few people that Lavi can tolerate on a deeper level. Lenalee is nice and all, but she's… fragile after losing so many people during this apocalypse. Kanda is just a sour-ass all the time. Krory is older and harder to relate to.

"Alright, look. It's late, but that doesn't matter. We're gonna go see that old lady an' demand that she check it out again. Her sensor ALWAYS has to work an' it's gonna tell us that you're not infected. Just watch it tell us that," Lavi says with a resolute tone, opening his door and motioning for Allen to follow him out.

* * *

><p>Allen felt silent as Lavi talked, suggesting they go find a different scanner, trying to stay optimistic, but he couldn't share such feelings. He wanted to hold out hope, but at the same time he didn't. It was already hard enough trying to come to terms with the knowledge that he had a very, very narrow window left to live. He didn't want to get his hopes up, only for what he'd already confirmed for himself to be proven true again.<p>

He didn't think he had the strength to do that all again.

For a moment he opened his mouth to argue - gently - with a pained look, but he didn't manage to get a word out. He stopped himself before he could, not having the heart to likewise rip out Lavi's. He huffed and idly ground his jaw, conceding defeat for the moment. He wasn't going to hold out hope, but he was going to at least let Lavi keep his, at least for now.

He stood to follow, slipping his hoodie back on and self-consciously tugging his hood over his head.

"…alright, Lavi, we'll try doing it your way first."


	4. Compromised Home

**Immunity  
><strong>**A D Gray-Man & Last of Us Crossover**

* * *

><p>"Yeah, well, my way is the right way, just you watch," Lavi grumbles as they leave his room.<p>

Taking the way out of the apartment—and thankfully not running into Bookman—they head outside to go to the Head Nurse's apartment. It's closer to the wall so that she can have 'unlimited' access to people who get hurt and come inside. It's also cause for the guards to keep a closer eye on the clinic—but thankfully not her apartment.

The streets are far from quiet. Once they go outside and go down one street, the sounds of gunshots fill the air along with screaming. Lavi stops Allen for a moment in confusion, wondering what's going on. He makes them press up against a wall before poking his head forward—only to snap it back with a terrified shocked look on his green eye.

He just heard and saw an Infected clicking as it was gorging itself on a guard.

"T-Turn around…" Lavi says quietly, trying to keep his voice even—as if Allen's situation was a hard-ball, now he's being hit with another one. He doesn't even seem to comprehend that Allen might've heard the clicking, too, since he's right behind him.

* * *

><p>Allen followed along quietly, occupying himself with his own thoughts as they went with what they were going to do <em>when <em>the scanner only confirmed what he already knew. By mid-morning he'd probably already start to Turn, and by the next evening… likely he wouldn't be himself anymore. He supposed that if the nurse didn't turn him in to the guards, he could always just go and do it himself. That would be the right thing to do, wouldn't it?

He was snapped out of his thoughts as he likewise heard the gunshots and screaming, jerking his head up and around for the source of the sound, silently mouthing, _"What the…?"_

He caught Lavi's cue and followed him to the wall, sneaking along it just at Lavi's heels. He thought he heard a faint chattering noise, and something else he thought he knew but couldn't quite identify as Lavi peered around the side just ahead of him.

Allen knew something was wrong when Lavi instantly snapped back, telling him to go back. His silvery eyes reflected confusion and unease. He had a feeling he knew what had Lavi looking at least somewhat scared, but he wanted to be absolutely certain.

"Why? What's going on?"

* * *

><p>"<em>Shut up<em> and turn around I said," Lavi hisses.

Normally not one to get even remotely physical—in a bad way—toward Allen, he ends up grabbing the teen's jacket and shoving him back toward the way they just came. And he keeps a hold of Allen's jacket, pushing him along because he doesn't want to risk Allen trying to go back to see what Lavi saw, green eye flickering around and looking everywhere but at his best friend. Watchful and on alert.

That should tip off the white-haired male, shouldn't it?

They somehow manage to get back to the library without running into anything—perhaps they haven't reached this street yet, but gunshots and shouts in the distance can definitely be heard and they're definitely getting more numerous and louder. Lavi's hand shakes a little as he unlocks the library before pulling Allen inside and shutting it, locking the wooden door.

"Okay okay, what to do what to do…" Lavi mutters as he lightly sets his forehead on the door now that it's safely locked. He first tells Allen, "Go find Bookman and see if he's still down here or up in the apartment, and whatever you do DON'T go outside."

* * *

><p>Allen was somewhat surprised by the blunt, harsh order from the red-haired teen and the fact that the other literally pushed him along, since he rarely got that way, even when a situation looked bad. Either it was really <em>that <em>serious or he was still reeling pretty badly from what Allen had told him earlier, though he wasn't sure exactly which one it was. Both might have been a suitable answer.

He couldn't help but glance over his shoulder in scrutiny, both at the place Lavi was trying to keep him away from, and at Lavi himself, who was looking more the part of his 'rabbit' nickname at the moment, skittish and alert for some kind of predator to swoop down on top of them at any moment.

He thought about resisting, going to check out for himself what was going on - it wasn't like it really mattered for him at this point if it was dangerous - but thought better of it, at least for the moment. His own safety wasn't much of an issue to him, but unlike him, Lavi wasn't Infected - _damn it _that was still hard to even put to thought - and he didn't want to be the one responsible for changing that.

His silvery eyes shone with concern as Lavi locked the door to the library, audibly wracking his brain for answers on how to handle… whatever the Hell was going on, though it wasn't hard to guess. Were the others alright? Lenalee, Komui, Krory, Miranda, and the others? And Hell, even Kanda?

He hesitated only a moment when Lavi told him to find Bookman, then nodded his head and moved to do just that, idly reaching up to massage his temple where his headache was starting to return. He had a really bad feeling about all of this.

* * *

><p>Lavi rubs his forehead as Allen disappears, now able to think more clearly as he violently shoves the thought of 'Allen is infected' out of his head for the moment. First off was to get to safety, which they did. Next, in order to survive the attack, they would have to fortify where they are. Thing is, though, the library has windows and they can't cover those easily. They could hole up in their apartment, but they'd have to leave eventually.<p>

They'd have to leave eventually…

Lavi decides that it will be best if he left with both Allen and Bookman and try to find the others on their way to the exit—or maybe hole up with someone near the entrance and exit from the base since chances are there would be Infected flooding in and blocking the gates.

"Get out... get safe... look for the others," Lavi mutters to himself, deciding that he'll have to settle for this as his plan.

* * *

><p>It didn't take long for Allen to locate Bookman, especially seeing as the building only had two constant inhabitants. He'd quickly relayed, "Lavi told me to come find you. There's something going on outside, though he didn't tell me what yet, but I think it's something really serious," before leading the way back to where the redhead was.<p>

He didn't mention the part about being Infected, not really sure how to bring that up nor wanting to. Maybe he was simply hoping that Lavi had been right that the scanner was simply broken or something, but he couldn't quite bring himself to beleive that. Not yet at least.

"I found him, just like you asked," Allen announced needlessly as they reached Lavi again, looking between them uncertainly.

* * *

><p>"<em>What is going on, Lavi<em>?" Bookman asks, giving a severe stare at his grandson who turns around at Allen's words. Lavi rubs his nose in his nervousness as he answers, "The Infected got in somehow so we have to leave _now_."

"_Are you sure that's even a wise_—"

"Yes!" Lavi interrupts abruptly. "We gotta grab everything we can right now before they get to this street 'cause it looks like they haven't gotten this far yet, but it won't be long. We're gonna go around the far walls of the compound to get to the door so we can try gettin' out."

And the wider they go, the more space they can spend looking for their friends. Bookman clenches his jaw, staring hard, but mind already going through the same possibilities that Lavi did before he nods and heads upstairs. Lavi runs a hand through his hair, glancing at Allen before going to go and get his own stuff.

Before going upstairs he says without turning around, "You can come and look for stuff with us, or stay right there, but you're going **_nowhere_** without us. Got it?"

He doesn't care if Allen's infected. He'll bring him with. It's not like they would take two days to get out. And once they're out, they can better decide on how to deal with Allen.

* * *

><p>And that just confirmed his fears.<p>

Allen had been wondering since Lavi snapped at him to go back they way they'd come if it was Infected, though there could have been other just as likely possibilities as well… bandits or fighting breaking out between the remnants of the miliary and the Fireflies group. This, though… this was bad. If the Zone really was compromised, then this was _really, really bad._

It was on the tip of his tongue to ask what had happened to the guards on the wall, if the Infected managed to get through, but he didn't get the chance with Lavi running his mouth a mile per minute.

He wondered if the others knew, worried about something happening to them more than himself. He was sure Kanda probably did. Even if he was a compete jackass, he was still very capable and pretty much always alert. Maybe he'd managed to notice what was going on and tell the others?

He was snapped out of his thoughts before they could go any further, watching Bookman disappear and Lavi soon to follow.

The white-haired teen frowned as Lavi basically ordered him to just sit by and do nothing about what was happening outside, even though countless people, some of them immensely important to him, could be dying without help right this second. He didn't hide at all the fact that he wanted to argue. Of course on the other side of things, he'd left his gun and knife in his apartment, so he wasn't exactly armed to take on anything either.

That was when another realization hit him and he smacked a hand into his forehead with a groan, which didn't help his returning headache any. His _apartment_! More importantly than the place itself was what he'd left in it. It wasn't terribly far, but it wasn't exactly anywhere near the wall or outskirts of town either.

"Lavi, I left Timcanpy at home when I left."

The gun, knife, and many other things, he could entirely overlook. He could always get another gun or knife elsewhere - though he personally liked his own since they were easy for him to use - but his cockatiel companion wasn't simply replaceable. He would never say it out-loud, mainly for the fact that it was rude, but he considered that little bird to be his best friend and loved it absolutely to death, more than any person. He considered Lavi like a brother, about as close as he could ever be to another person, but he had an extra special soft spot for Tim that couldn't be filled by anything or anyone else.

* * *

><p>Lavi stops on the stairs when Allen declares he left Timcanpy. Again, his mind runs and what he considers lightning speed before he comes up with a decision. He backs up a few steps and peeks around the corner as he says, "We'll go get Tim then, Allen. He's a smart little guy so he can be useful. We'll be down in about ten minutes if you're stayin' right there."<p>

With that said, Lavi heads upstairs where Bookman is waiting with a severe look on his face. Lavi throws him an apologetic, and yet apathetic, glance. It's more of a "I know you said not to care too much but seems I did anyway…" kind of stare that Bookman can actually _hear_ in his head.

The two were prepared, though. They open their closet and pull out a bag that they had especially made for a moment like this. While being here forever made them believe that it was unnecessary, the calculating common-sense part of their brains demanded they have these bags. Lavi gathers a few other important things that he neglected to put in his backpack over the years and goes downstairs with Bookman soon to follow.

"When we reach your apartment you can grab SOME stuff, Allen. Grab whatever you can in five minutes at most. That's all the time you'll get. We'll have to check on Timothy's and Emilia's place on the way there, though."

Because the kid and his 'caretaker' lived just two roads down from Allen and it's on their way.

* * *

><p>Allen nodded his head, though he was reluctant to wait for any span of time. If he was quick he might be able to even get there and be back in the ten minutes Lavi said it would take them to get their own things in order… but then again, there was no telling if he'd really be able to do that so quickly. He hadn't the slightest idea of what might happen outside.<p>

He was relieved that Lavi agreed they go back to his place briefly though, nodding his head and conceding defeat for the moment and taking a seat near the door, though every minute that passed made him a little more anxiously restless.

Timcanpy was the most pressing concern in regards to things he needed to retrieve, but he'd also be able to retrieve his weapons, and whatever else he had. Packing everything up would be easy, seeing as he was a person of few possessions to begin with. In his early life he'd had basically nothing but the clothes on his back, and only a little more than that afterwards with Mana, when they were mostly vagrant travelers. The last couple years were the only ones where he'd settled in one place for very long at all, but he still retained the habit of owning mostly the bare necessities. Basically if he couldn't carry it, he didn't keep it.

He sprung to his feet when the two Bookmen appeared, shifting his weight from one foot to the other with barely suppressed impatience, glad to finally hear that they were going to be checking up on some of the others and hopefully be keeping them safe. He nodded agreement, more than ready to get going after having to sit still for so long doing nothing.

"Let's go."

* * *

><p>Lavi nods in agreement and they go to the door. Lavi is the one to crack it open and peer out slowly, looking back and forth. The screams and gunshots are definitely closer—maybe two streets down?—but they have yet to reach this place just yet although that might change in the next few seconds.<p>

Turning and waving a hand as the door is opened further, Lavi says, "Alright let's go."

The three come out of the doorway and Bookman closes it, making sure to lock it just in case they ever do get the chance to come back and the lock actually means something and leaves the inner contents alone without being touched. They start by going to the left and down the street. Lavi peeks around a corner of the building at the corner of the block. He spots an Infected lumbering by but limping after someone crawling along the ground—thankfully no one he knows so Lavi pays no mind, as cruel as it is.

"Come on," he whispers as they cross the street as quickly as they can to get to the other side.

Precautions like these are taken throughout that might make it five minutes longer to get near Timothy's and Emilia's house, but they get there without running into big trouble nonetheless. Lavi, Allen, and Bookman go up to the porch of the somewhat small house only to see a note hanging on the front.

_Left the house__  
><em>_Going to the safe haven 2 towns to the west__  
><em>_Hope to see you there_

~_Emilia and Timothy_

"Shit they're already gone," Lavi mutters. Really… there's nothing they can do but move on since the two are no longer there. Maybe they'll meet them at the wall since they're also planning on leaving. Lavi turns to the other two and says, "Alright, on to Allen's house."

* * *

><p>Allen was glad to be moving again, only having to wait for Lavi to give the all-clear before they were off. He heard Lavi indicate to follow, but faltered slightly as he saw the Infected going after someone. It didn't feel entirely right to just… not do anything. He didn't get the chance though when Bookman gave his shoulders a push, just enough to get him going at Lavi's heels again.<p>

He didn't like it, but he followed, more concerned about his immediate friends. When they found Emilia's place, he wasn't sure whether to be releived or disappointed that they were already gone. Hopefully they were safe and hadn't hit any trouble.

When Lavi indicated his place was next, he nodded, eager to get there and retrieve both Tim and his weapons. Maybe then he could actually _do _something, instead of merely slinking around. It didn't take long to reach it, the shadows being quite useful to keep them concealed, and the Infected didn't seem to have reached his place yet. How long that would last though, he wasn't sure.

He unlocked his apartment and all but flung the door open, glancing around.

"Tim?" His voice was immediately greeted with shrill chirping, the bird flying to land on his head. He smiled and pet the bird with two fingers, even as he moved to retrieve his things. He had to do this quickly.

"Just keep an eye and an ear out for trouble. I'll be done in a moment," he tossed over his shoulder as he moved to sit on his bed, yanking out the drawer of his bedside table and retrieving his weapons from them.

* * *

><p>Lavi and Bookman can hear Tim's chirping when Allen calls out for the bird. They both nod in agreement that they would stay and keep watch—which is ACTUALLY needed because they're pretty sure the Infected can come to this street at any time now, and probably already arrived and passed the bookstore's street.<p>

The redhead is the one poking his head over the small ledge that boxes in the 'porch' to the apartment building. The sounds aren't as loud as when they left the bookstore which is good news, but they're still there and still sounding like they're approaching.

"_Who else are we going to go after_?" Bookman asks Lavi.

The redhead shrugs as he answers, "I know that Lenalee and Komui will be near the wall so we'll try to find them. Uh... we'll probably find Krory there, too. We might have to keep an eye peeled for Kanda, though. He might be out-of-the-way to go and find, but I don't think he'd stay at his apartment so we might see him on the way."

Lavi looks at his watch and decides he'd give Allen two more minutes.

* * *

><p>Allen made it a point to load his gun, figuring he'd probably need it before the night was done, and count his remaining clips. Three total… that was a decent amount, but they'd go quickly if a conflict broke out. He'd have to be careful to use them sparingly, if at all, or else he'd be out of bullets, and ammunition was hard to find much of the time.<p>

He pocketed those and quickly packed up his spare clothes into a backpack, already folded and ready to go, and went to retrieve a few more things; a comb, some things to wash with, his first-aid kits and medicine bottles, Timcanpy's feed bag, a few cans of food from his stores(that he often squirrelled away unopened or eaten for just such instances). There was more tucked away, but he only had so much room, and he figured they might always be able to come back for it if it became important enough.

He paused a moment in his packing, pacing lightly. What else was he missing…? Think, think… _batteries!_

He quickly made his way around the place to find a pack of batteries he knew had to be lying around, finding them before long. Batteries were too useful to leave behind, especially when it came to flashlights. He packed those up, along with a few eating utencils and a blanket, before zipping it all up and slinging it onto his back.

Allen tugged his hood back over his head and tucked Tim into hiding in there close to his ear.

"You stay in here, Tim. 'don't want anything happening to you," he smiled, before nodding to Lavi.

"Alright, let's go."


	5. Escape

**Immunity  
><strong>**A D Gray-Man & Last of Us Crossover**

* * *

><p>A whole pack. Lavi knows that Allen tends to keep few personal items, but to fit it all in a bag? It looks like it was prepared earlier than this—sort of like what he and Bookman did—but in a different way. Seeing that Allen is ready to go, though, they nod and Lavi leads them onward. It takes mostly an hour of creeping along before they reach the outer wall and get closer to the gates when they finally see their first Infected on the streets.<p>

"Alright, shit... how to do this…"

They won't really be able to get past the Infected unless they try to stick to the less-traveled pathways. That means going through people's "backyards" and trying to stay out of sight lest they run into too many Infected.

"Think we might have to end up fighting one way or another... you all ready for that? We can't use any guns or anything."

Bookman nods in confirmation as he says, "_I have a crowbar and a bat. I can fight__._"

* * *

><p>Allen felt somewhat relieved as they left back to the street, letting Lavi lead since he seemed to know exactly where they needed to go. Besides, his own directional skills were lacking, to put it lightly.<p>

The sounds of gunfire and screams in the distance every so often made him turn his head, conflicted. Several times he thought about turning around to do something, trying to think of what he would do to help, but every time he stopped, knowing that Lavi wouldn't simply let him go, and the redhead was too watchful for him to simply slip away unnoticed, as was Bookman. That was his main concern that held him back. He didn't really care what happened to himself, but he cared too much about what might happen to Lavi or his other friends, not wanting to endanger them.

He paused as Lavi and Bookman did, noticing the Infected as well and pulling out his blade. There was a certain prick of fear in his mind, mostly instinctual, but he knew that he had little to fear for himself. He was already Infected, at least as far as that scanner had said, so what was one or two more bites?

Allen nodded his agreement, coming to a decision. He knew Lavi wouldn't like it, but he had little left to lose, and those that he might lose, he would gladly defend one way or another, even if in the end he only ended up as bait to slow the monsters down from killing the other two. He wouldn't mind, so long as it made a difference and helped his comrades survive.

"I should go first."

* * *

><p>Lavi whips his head to Allen when the offer is made, a flash of frustration popping up into a green optic. Bookman raises an eyebrow at this as Lavi holds a hand out to show that he doesn't want Allen to leave just yet as he hisses, "Hold on, just wait."<p>

He briefly checks to make sure the Infected didn't hear him before turning back to Allen.

"You can't jus' up an' offer like that. That's not fair. You can't be so quick until we find someone else that's alive an' well, alright?" Lavi orders. He doesn't want to tell Bookman about Allen's… _condition_, but if the younger teen presses it further it might become apparent to Bookman that it's more than concern that's going on. "For now let's jus' see if we can try avoidin' this Infected by going behind the next house one at a time, alright?"

* * *

><p>"I'm not going to be reckless," Allen promised, not wavering. He had already known the decision would upset Lavi, but it seemed like that was the best option to him given the circumstances.<p>

He was being honest when he said he wouldn't be reckless, but if something happened - and it was likely that it would - he wanted to give everyone else a better chance of surviving if he could. He didn't plan on getting killed, at least not without good cause, but if it happened, it happened. He'd rather it be him, since he was already a guaranteed dead man anyway.

He knew it was cruel, maybe even selfish in a way, but sometimes it took a little bit of cruelty to protect someone else. He had been struggling to grasp that for years, after Mana had attacked him and scarred his face - the one man who had never once been cruel or violent before towards the outcast, deformed child that no one else had the stomach to tolerate except to brutalize - and driven him away before the Infection could claim and kill them both. That event had left a far deeper scar than the visible one on his face, but he thought he finally understood.

It was odd just how much standing on the periphery of death brought so much clarity to a person all of a sudden.

"-but it's our best bet if we get into a tight spot." He smiled in a resigned sort of way. His mind was made up. "I might be able to buy you a few minutes, at least. With your quick thinking, it'd be easy for you to find safety. Better just one than all of us."

* * *

><p>"It ain't gonna happen that way Beansprout. First chance we see that things are gettin' ugly then me an' Bookman are gonna come in an' help ya out, alright?" Lavi's own resolute green eye shows that he isn't kidding about that. Bookman throws a glance at him before sighing and choosing not to speak up against it. No use with these two stubborn youngsters.<p>

But 'permission' has been granted. Lavi grumbles and sighs before nodding at Allen—nodding because he thinks this is the exact best chance that Allen will get at getting to that Infected if he runs. He'll at least be able to catch it off-guard a little as it looks off to the side to scan for more humans to devour. Lavi and Bookman tighten their grips on their weapons so that they'll be ready to swoop in to help the white-haired teen.

* * *

><p>"I certainly hope it doesn't," Allen agreed softly. He didn't want it to come to that, for Lavi to have to come to his aid, for either of the others to get bitten or ripped apart, or for the redhead to have to see him get ripped apart by Infected if they really did find themselves in a bad position. With Lavi's memory, he would never forget such a sight. He would remember it with more haunting detail than anyone else ever would, and that was as much a painful thought as the thought that he might die or get infected too.<p>

Of course, if something _did _happen, then there was little he could do, other than try his best to survive, or at least make sure the other two did.

He nodded when Lavi and Bookman showed that they were ready, looking ahead and huffing softly as he shifted his grip on the handle of his knife, steadying his nerves for what he was going to have to do, trying hard not to think about all the ways this could easily go south and end in tragedy for all of them.

He slunk forward - low, quiet, but quick as he could manage while still pulling off the first two - until he was within a fair distance. He gripped the handle of his weapon with both hands, and plunged it through the back of the Infected's neck at the first clear opening, giving it a sharp twist just to be sure that he had severed something vital. It was a clean, almost entirely silent kill, and he almost scared himself in doing so, but the creature was nothing human anymore, and it was all in the name of protecting those that still were. That thought helped him keep clarity as he pushed forward, his senses trained for others that might be blocking their path.

* * *

><p>This helped pave the path alright. With the Infected dispatched so quickly, Lavi throws a glance at Bookman to see the old man already staring. He raises an eyebrow almost as if saying, "There's a reason I stuck with him." With the look acknowledged with Bookman's nod, they quickly scamper after Allen at a safe distance. Safe because if Infected come, then Lavi and Bookman can help—and also because Allen is clearly leading the way.<p>

_Just need to make a beeline for the wall now. Haven't seen anyone but I think that means they either got out or are somewhere safe. Haven't seen 'em littering the street yet,_ Lavi thinks to himself as they move forward, green eye peeled for any possible Infected they'll run into.

He DOES hear some clicking sounding like it's getting louder, coming closer. He hopes that it's because the Clickers are chasing after other people instead of trying to find other alive humans… like them.

* * *

><p>Allen's focus was mainly on making a path for the other two. It didn't really matter if he ended up getting bitten anyway, so he wasn't really paying much heed to avoiding that, so long as the damn things went down and wouldn't have a chance to bite the other two.<p>

He wasn't sure if the emptiness of the streets and buildings was relieving or unsettling, hoping that meant that the others had gotten away safely.

He heard the clicking sound as well, before Lavi had, and was keeping alert, more nervous than before. Runners and Stalkers were easy enough to handle, so long as he was careful not to be seen, but Clickers were an entirely other level of trouble to worry about.

He barely dared to breathe as he heard screaming from somewhere off to the side and shrieks of Infected, before the human screams fell silent. Peering around the corner of one building, the hairs on his neck prickled as he saw a pack of them ripping a person apart… or at least the bloody mess that _used _to be a person.

His eyes looked about at the other buildings and the street before he carefully turned to detour around them on the far side, motioning for Lavi and Bookman to follow. There were Infected sounds coming from another direction, but he couldn't quite pin-point them, struggling to decently make out shapes that may or may not have been the creatures without jumping at shadows.

_Fuck. Fuck, fuck, calm down. We're almost out of here, just keep going._

He was distracted just a second long enough for a Clicker to spring him from a darkened doorway, backing Allen hard into a wall. He held it back with a hand on its throat, jaws snapping inches away from him, and he instinctively ducked down, jamming his knife into its chest and twisting, trying to kill it as the thing's screeches and chattering echoed in his ears, accompanied by the sounds of more Infected quickly gaining ground, and it sounded like a _lot _of them.

"Damn it- go!" he shouted, hoping that the other two might actually listen. He didn't think there was any way they were going to survive a whole pack without someone else getting bitten. "Get moving!"

* * *

><p>Lavi's head was almost starting to hurt from keeping on his highest alert for far too long—it's BEEN far too long since he's had to watch himself for so long. It's late and already dark. Going on missions during the daylight really made him forget how to keep up with this so he's straining his one eye. It's frustrating because he has to stick so close behind Allen—closer than he'd like—in order to keep him in view and terrible because the Infected can creep ever closer without them knowing.<p>

Think of the devil…

Bookman and his grandson both jump when that Clicker pops out of nowhere and pushes Allen against a wall. Lavi is the first to move before he rams his shoulder right into the faceless _thing_ and shoves the pointed end of his crowbar into its head hard enough to get through the twisted remains of its head, into the brain, and make it fall down and slide off the thick metal.

But alas, the Infected are quickly gaining. Bookman jogs over to the two and pulls Allen from the wall saying, "_Your moment of shock is over, let's get going_!"

The three take off only to barely avoid being tackled by a small group of Infected that were barreling around the corner. Lavi gasps as he glances back but looks forward to see the wall in view. They're so close… and yet still so far away even if they're three streets down! The other Infected heard the Clicker before it died and are coming from other streets toward the three. Their situation is… **bleak**.

"Shit!" Lavi growls. "A-At this rate, we'll be overrun before-"

Suddenly there's a guttural shouting. Lavi jumps to look behind him to see Bookman shouting at the top of his lungs, having stopped running so he's already a good fifty yards away and he's waving his arms and bat.

"Gramps! What the hell do ya think you're do—"

"_GO__! __Run__! _Get away while you still can! I'll meet you at the gates! Don't wait for me, just go outside and then find a safe spot!" Bookman interrupts to order.

Before Lavi can retaliate, Bookman runs in the opposite direction and the Infected are immediately following him as he shouts again and waves his bat. Lavi takes a step forward as he sputters, "W-Wait, h-hold on one s-second…"

* * *

><p>Allen flinched back as Lavi rammed the Infected off him and impaled it with the crowbar in-hand, having half a mind to demand what the Hell he thought he was doing, but he didn't have the time. The Infected were baring down on them quickly and it took all the couple of short seconds he had just to regain his composure to follow them as Bookman pulled him up to his feet again.<p>

He followed the two at a sprint, just keeping pace as he tried to think of what they should do. They could only run for so long before they were too exhausted to do it anymore, and at that point they'd be too exhausted to put up even a half-decent fight, and even then, there was no way they were coming out of that fight unscathed, if at all.

If he stopped or turned back, then maybe he could keep the attention of those monsters long enough that Bookman and Lavi could get away. Maybe they'd even be in too much of a hurry to notice him drop back…

His thoughts came to a screeching halt as he heard the shouting, skidding and almost tripping to a halt to whirl around with wide eyes. _Shit_, had he been bitten or something?

It took several moments for him to even get an idea of what was going on, and once he did, the old man was already leading the Infected away with his shouts, or at least most of them, though a few stragglers were still intent on the younger two.

Damn it. _Damn it_.

He might not have been someone Allen was particularly close to, but Allen still cared if the guy died, much less if the man died for _him_, and he knew that Bookman still meant something to Lavi(even if he liked to complain a lot about his grandfather).

He grit his teeth and started to run back. He didn't have much to lose at this point anyway, since his life was forfeit ever since he had been bitten hours earlier, but Bookman and Lavi still had something to lose and _didn't have to die_, and he would protect either of them with his life if he had to.

* * *

><p>Oh God(what God?). Oh shit this is so wrong. Lavi's heart is almost literally the only thing he can hear before the sound of screeching reaches his ears instead. The world is black except for Bookman's quickly receding back, Allen's running, and an Infected coming straight for the white-haired teen.<p>

The only place he can put his faith in is in the few people who proved to hold it true.

"Allen WAIT!"

The redhead lurches forward. He's fast enough that he can easily catch up to Allen and grab the back of his shirt. He pulls hard to keep Allen from going further, almost twirling him to the side as Lavi steps forward to his left, raises a leg, and kicks the Infected that was running at them—using its own weight and momentum to let it run into his leg as he tried keeping a strong foot and stance so he doesn't fall backward.

The older teen stumbles back a little as the Infected falls backward from the kick to its gut. Lavi quickly regains his composure and stabs the pointed end of his crowbar through its head. He turns to Allen.

"Bookman's gonna meet us later. Let's go."

That's all he can go on. That's all he can believe in. He trusts Bookman. He always has. The old man has never let him down. There's no reason he would this time… he couldn't.

* * *

><p>Allen made a choked nose as the sharp tug of his shirt, the collar digging into his neck. He hadn't been fully expecting it and so stumbled slightly and almost fell to the side as Lavi attacked the Infected that had been going after him.<p>

His wide, grey eyes shot up to the older teen as he actually said that they were going to keep going and leave Bookman on his own, like he couldn't believe it. He tried to pry Lavi's grip from his shirt, still fully intent on helping Bookman and having trouble understanding how Lavi could even contemplate leaving him.

"Lavi, let go! I can't just let him handle it all by himself! I should be the one leading them away, not him! He's going to get himself killed!"

Damn it. God damn it! He should have said something earlier. He should have told Bookman why he wanted to go first and give them a chance instead of worrying about himself, that he was infected and it didn't matter and maybe things would have turned out differently. Then Bookman might have made a different choice and they wouldn't be here arguing and wasting precious time they needed to be using to _help _him!

* * *

><p>"SHUT UP, ALLEN!" Lavi shouts at him.<p>

The redhead curses under his breath and hauls the white-haired teen in front of him and pushes him to keep running. The Infected that were lingering start to head their way, leaving them no time to actually go after Bookman even if Lavi wanted to—the old man had run off and disappeared anyway.

"Bookman said that he'd meet us after we get out of the wall so that's what's gonna happen!" Lavi snaps at Allen as they run. "He SAID so, so it's gonna happen!"

If he was in his right mind he would know how absolutely pathetic that sounded. He might as well have been saying "I know just because" like a stupid little kid. They're only three streets down from the wall now so he feels like they should be home free if they shake these Infected and creep to the gates without being seen for the most part. For now… he would refuse to believe that just a few moments ago might be the last time he'll ever see the one person who was a constant in his life.

* * *

><p>At first, Allen tried to struggle out of Lavi's grasp, even as he was shoved forward and caught between actually running and tripping over himself to try and get the redhead off him. He started to run properly of his own volition though when he realized that the Infected were closing distance, and no matter how stubborn he was, he wouldn't let Lavi get caught and killed.<p>

He decided that for now he'd go along, at least until they reached the wall where Lavi could get somewhere safe, but after that, if Bookman didn't show as promised, all bets were off.

* * *

><p>The two are able to get rid of the few Infected that were chasing them—few thanks to Bookman. Lavi's head is surprisingly blank at the moment as he tries focusing on getting out of the safe compound and out to the open world so that he could wait for Bookman. They're forced to slow down as a few Infected are coming out from alongside a house. Lavi ducks him and Allen down by a porch to watch the mutated beings amble by, seeming to be aimlessly heading toward where they hear a few gunshots—which are louder and more numerous by the wall.<p>

"God dammit…" Lavi grumbles. "Do we have to find another way out…?"

* * *

><p>Allen gnawed his lip in contemplation as they hid, trying to think. The wall was <em>almost<em> within their reach, but it was still far enough that something could go _horribly _wrong. Finding another way through might be more difficult though. It was almost a certainty that it would be.

What to do? What to do?

"What… what about a tunnel?" he whispered uncertainly, unable to keep his voice from quivering slightly. People were always trying to find or make a way to sneak out past the wall without the soldiers knowing. There were routine checks to prevent it, especially in buildings nearest the wall or district checkpoints, but someone always found a way to hide at least one. He knew that for a fact because Lavi had convinced him to sneak out through some of them before, though a number of them had been discovered and closed off since then. "Do you know if any of these buildings have a secret passage?"

* * *

><p>Of course!<p>

Lavi's face blooms into one of excitement. His mind races with the tunnels that have been closed off and then tries to scan through his thoughts of which ones are still open, which aren't all that numerous at all. After a moment he hones in on the perfect one that's still going to be a little bit of a ways off.

"We're gonna have to go down two streets just to the northeast of us. Think you can manage? When we get through, we're gonna wait somewhere around the gates for Bookman," Lavi says, turning to Allen with a determined look in his eye. This time… they have a plan!

* * *

><p>Allen nodded to show that he was. He hoped that their path wouldn't be immediately blocked by more Infected, but it seemed like their best bet for now. It would probably be about as close as the wall, if he were to guess, but likely safer, so long as Infected hadn't gotten inside. Normally that was a rarity, but with the recent chaos, it was possible, if Infected were chasing other escapees that had thought of the same thing.<p>

"Sounds good," he agreed, eager to make sure they weren't the only ones to survive, and even more so to make sure that Lavi actually did long enough to gain that reassurance.

* * *

><p>"Then let's get going before more Infected pop up."<p>

Of course there's no saying that hurrying would put them in less danger. They're ALWAYS going to run the risk of running into a group of Infected they could avoid by going slower. He pulls Allen along after him when he deems it safe—in a friendly manner this time.

As soon as they manage to get across the street and around the corner, already there's the first group of Infected. It seems this time they're Clickers. Lavi freezes, wondering if their ambling around can let them sneak past without making a sound and without being eaten.

"Fuck... does nothing want us to get through this…?"

* * *

><p>"Well… as long as we don't make any noise, we should be safe, right?" Despite the barely audible words, Allen was just as worried. "Maybe you should go first this time, in case we have to sprint for it."<p>

He wanted Lavi to be ahead of him, so he could be sure the redhead managed to reach their escape. Once he was sure the other was safe, he could rest a little easier, regardless of what else might happen, especially if it came down to only one of them escaping.

He flexed his hand over the handle of his knife.

"I've got your back, just…If anything… _happens_… don't wait for me."

* * *

><p>Lavi growls under his breath and rather quietly to where he might be the only one to hear it when Allen goes and makes that rather unfair order. Like hell he'd even listen to the guy. He's younger and shouldn't tell his elders what to do! Waiting around won't make this any easier, though.<p>

The redhead shakes his head but then starts moving forward. His green eye flickers over the Infected meandering around trying to listen for things while letting their guttural "clicking"—their signature—inform other humanoids of where they are so as not to confuse or hit into one another. Somehow they seem to know that the far-off sounds serve no purpose to them. Lavi's footfalls can hardly be heard due to him being so careful, crowbar in hand and on his highest alert. For now all he can do is try to watch out for himself because he trusts in Allen to be quiet.

He tries to avoid going anywhere near a space that he estimates that two or more Clickers might collide, come close, or box in. He is trying to go toward an aluminum can so that he can try throwing it as far as he can when they're mostly past the Clickers.

_We are so screwed._

* * *

><p>Allen barely even dared to breathe, afraid that even the most miniscule sound would set the entire pack upon them, watching his footing with every carefully placed step, the chattering of the Clickers making every hair on his body stand up nervously.<p>

They were _almost _there.

He felt Timcanpy wriggling in his hood against his neck as the little bird poked its head out, Allen pausing a moment to push the bird back into hiding… which didn't work out so well because instead the cockatiel fluttered out into the air, the white-haired teen's breath hitching as he tried to snatch him before he could get away.

"Damn it! Tim!" he hissed quietly, his focus lost just long enough to bump something, hearing a guttural shriek. He instinctively ducked back until his shoulders brushed the wall behind him, knowing already that he was _completely _screwed over now.

_Shit, shit, shit! _he clutched the knife, ready to use it as a Clicker blindly flailed towards him, Timcanpy shrieking once above him. The Clicker slowed slightly and chattered its own similar sounds. Tim chirped again, and the Clicker looked as though it was quickly losing interest in him.

This time Allen really _didn't _dare to even breathe, much less move, his eyes flicking up to where Timcanpy was perched without moving his head, then back at the Clicker, glancing between them uncertainly from where he'd flattened himself against the wall.

* * *

><p>Lavi flinches violently—looking like he was trying to pose like a ninja and failing—before turning around quickly despite not wanting to because he knows he'll see something he doesn't want to see. Of course he's right.<p>

There's Allen about to get his face eaten off by a Clicker which had made it gain the attention of all the others. Lavi is about to leap into action—with the hopes that killing this loud one will make the others ignore it—before it seems to stop and "look" toward the sky. A green eye wanders up in shock to see a flash of gold.

_Tim?_ Lavi questions himself. _D-Does… he SOUND like them or is it… more distracting?_

Either way it's working. The other Clickers turn their attention to the sky in Tim's general direction. Lavi creeps forward as quietly as he can before grabbing Allen's jacket all over again and pulling him along for a few quick moments before pointing toward the other side of the large mass of Infected.

"Keep going!" he wordlessly mouths to Allen.

* * *

><p>Allen still hadn't moved up until the point that Lavi grabbed him by his hoodie, his wide eyes and ears still transfixed to what was happening. A moment ago Tim had basically doomed him to get eaten - albeit unintentionally, he was absolutely positive - and now that same darn little bird was his salvation to stall such an outcome. Never in a million years would he have guessed <em>this <em>scenario.

He nodded his head at Lavi's silent directions and followed, though occasionally he glanced back at Tim and the ambling Clickers that seemed to have all but forgotten the two.

He knew he had to be sweating bullets at this point and was well convinced he never wanted to see an Infected ever again.

_Come tomorrow, you won't have to anyway,_ he recalled vehemently, before pushing the thought aside. Cross one bridge at a time… just one. The other ones hardly mattered unless he could get across the one he had yet to pass.

He was deeply relieved to reach the entrance of their destination and halted, turning and waving his hands over his head silently.

"Timcanpy! Come on!" he hissed, voice barely audible. His golden cockatiel chirped again and took off, Allen grabbing him between both hands and quickly ducking inside. Heaving a long suffering sigh, he finally allowed himself to breathe properly, eyeing his avian companion. "…not sure whether to be thankful or pissed with you."

* * *

><p>That was WAY too close of a call. Lavi ducks into the tunnel that was left wide open for the most part. He presses his back up against the wall to take a moment for a breather. They weren't running but that was quite the intense experience and his short burst of adrenaline left him feeling tired—more so than before what with all the running and lack of sleep starting to catch up with him a little.<p>

"Tim is _nuts_," Lavi says breathlessly. "He's nuts and he's brilliant for a bird. Jesus... breather's over. Lemme go forward and check if there's any Infected in here. If you hear three tappings, then you'll know it's safe."

He's not going to let Allen have another chance to throw his life in danger. He's had too many close calls now and the redhead doesn't want to feel useless. Before the younger teen can protest, he gets up again and starts going along the tunnel to hopefully scope out an _empty_ tunnel.

* * *

><p>"Yeah," Allen agreed as Timcanpy returned to perch on his shoulder, affectionately huddling against the side of his neck and chirping again. Allen absently reached a hand back to scratch behind the bird's head appreciatively, when Lavi declared he'd go ahead and check the tunnel ahead, not giving him the chance to say anything about it.<p>

He relented for now and leaned his back against the wall, massaging the pits of his eyes with one hand wearily. At the very least, he knew Lavi was still alive and well, but everything else was going so wrong. His head was still pounding, he was utterly _exhausted_, by evening tomorrow he wouldn't likely be _human _anymore, their entire safe haven was gone to hoards of Infected, Bookman was gone and possibly dead(even though he didn't want to believe as much either), countless other people had died, and they had absolutely no idea how the rest of their friends were faring.

_I hope everyone's alright…_

He didn't know what he would do if they weren't, feeling like this was all somehow his fault. The Infected had swarmed the zone chasing him there to begin with after all. He would never forgive himself if any of them were dead because of him, but the sick irony was that he probably wasn't going to be alive long enough to find out, much less feel guilt-ridden or have the opportunity to repent. All of it was so wrong.

* * *

><p>It gets darker really fast. Lavi has to feel along the walls in order to find out where he's going. The walls are close enough as-is, so he just spreads out his arms and can touch both of them at the same time and it's a straight-shot just like he remembers. No additional "rooms" have been added or anything of the sort.<p>

But he hears shuffling again and that makes him go on the full-on alert all over again which gives him a headache. And a certain smell which—

"Oh _shit_!" he whispers.

Then he hears a voice calling down the way, "_Hello? Is someone there? Please! I can't breathe! I've been stuck here for a few minutes, please_!"

Someone got caught in the spores without a mask. Lavi backs away instantly because it's already too late for them. They'd been there for too long, he just KNOWS it. He backs away and turns around, quickly shuffling through the tunnel and getting back to Allen and pointing to the houses near them.

"Bad news. There's spores down there. No Infected, but we need gas masks and someone's caught down there. Too late for 'em, so... we gotta deal with it."

He's getting so tired of just the THOUGHT of dead people…

* * *

><p>Allen straightened up as Lavi returned, a loose knot of dread starting to coil when Lavi told him he had bad news. At first he assumed that maybe it was more Infected down the tunnels… when he actually heard what it was, though, somehow it was only all the worse than that.<p>

He knew exactly what Lavi meant when he said they had to 'deal with it', and he hated it. He sometimes hesitated even when it came to Infected, some part of him still struggling with the idea that those _things_ that looked human weren't, but he could always stab and kill them or pull the trigger when it came down to the wire. They _weren't_ human, not even conscious beasts anymore, and that was what mattered in the end. But with still-living people, that was different.

He knew it would be a mercy if they were already caught in the spores - he _knew _that - but he didn't have to like it.

"You didn't bring a mask with you when you guys left?"

* * *

><p>"No, man. Bookman has both of 'em so we gotta wait until we see him outside of the wall, which we can't get past unless we FIND more masks," Lavi says, that resolute look in his tone and eye still pointing out that he actually believes he'll be seeing Bookman on the other side. He nods toward the houses as he says, "Now let's go an' find some masks, yeah?"<p>

The redhead puts a hand on Allen's shoulder, patting it two times, before taking the lead and leaving the confines of the tunnel. He pokes a head out, finding it's actually quite safe-looking to pass the street and get to the houses and hopefully be safe as they stick to the backyards.

"Ready?" he asks.

* * *

><p>Allen huffed audibly. Their night just got <em>better<em> and _better_ with every passing moment. He could almost swear at this point that, if such beings as gods or demons really existed, someone either up above or down below really had it out for them. He followed at Lavi's heels and waited for him to check that it was clear, nodding his head as he absently reached up to scratch Timcanpy behind the head.

At the very least, they had that little trick up their sleeve if it turned out they needed the little bird's help again. It wasn't a guarantee, but it was better than nothing.

"Whenever you are."

* * *

><p>"Yep, I'm ready so let's go."<p>

Sucking in his breath, it's time to go. With Allen in-tow, he crouches ever so slightly and almost runs forward, taking long strides and going fast so he doesn't wear himself out with running unnecessarily. They technically still have a lot of time despite the amount of Infected coming into the compound. So long as none go into the tunnel—or just one or two go in—then they'll be fine. He has the utmost confidence in Bookman to make it out, too.

The two make it to the first house without any problems. The door is locked, but the redhead makes quick work of the lock and they're inside so they don't have to worry about any Infected. He shuts the door behind Allen and locks it again, standing up before looking into the house.

"Hello! Anyone here?!" he calls—loud enough so people inside can hear but it can't carry outside. There's no answer so Lavi turns to Allen to say, "We'll split up, just remember to sometimes call out that you're coming through looking for a mask so you don't get ambushed."

* * *

><p>Allen was glad for how easy it was to reach one of the houses, thinking it had to be one of the first real breaks they'd had all night, and had to resist sighing aloud in relief once they were inside with the door locked behind them.<p>

He nodded at Lavi's instruction and started to search, poking around for a mask and at the same time wondering whether or not to take any other provisions inside. It felt like he'd be stealing if he did, but he couldn't be sure if the house was inhabited or not, nor whether he'd prefer it if they did or didn't find someone inside.

He ascended the steps inside the house with a hand cautiously gripping the handle of his blade, just in case trouble emerged, calling out softly, "Hello? We're just here trying to find a mask, if anyone's up there."

The darkness of the house was a little unnerving and he absently shook his small flashlight to life so he could see properly.

* * *

><p>Lavi immediately went to the kitchen to look for some masks. For once he's praying to a God, he's not sure exists, in the hopes of finding gas masks pretty easily since a lot of houses should have them as a precaution. He opens up a cupboard and they're <em>right there<em>. Lavi almost sobs out comically in happiness as he grabs the two-out-of-four masks… which is odd, considering—

_CHICK CHICK_

The redhead freezes in place just as he was bringing the masks down to set them on the counter. He slowly puts his hands up and turns around to see some older guy with a sawn-off shotgun pointed at him.

"How the hell did you get in here?" he asks.

"I-I just picked the lock... w-we're tryin' to leave and my g-grandpa has the masks. Th-That's all we want," Lavi answers, trying to be as diplomatic as possible.

"Come to steal more stuff? WE'RE not leaving," the man says, coming closer but staying just out of Lavi's reach.

He immediately answers, "N-No! We already got all we want an' we're not here to make you leave! J-Just... if you're not leaving, let us take the masks an' we'll be on our way. We didn't even lead anyone here."

That's right. Play innocent and helpless and hopefully that works.

* * *

><p>Nothing immediately notable could be seen in the upper-story hall, and after checking a few rooms, he found one that was locked.<p>

Survivors, maybe…?

He felt his pockets but didn't have anything to use as a lock-pick. It wasn't as if he'd never had to unlock a door without either a key or pick though and took out his knife, carefully wedging the blade into the seam and working it between the frame and lock until it came loose. He couldn't help but smile. At least it wasn't a dead-bolt, otherwise he'd be out of luck.

Stowing his knife, he slowly pushed the door partway open, shining his light through it as he started to peek in.

"Hello? If anyone's in here, I'm not hostile, so don't feel threatened," he said as he stepped further in and swept his light around the room. He froze as it fell on a woman and two kids huddled close to her. More pressing as the small revolver trained on him.

"How did you get in here? _Get out!_" the woman snapped, Allen holding up his regular hand, to show he was unarmed.

"Easy, I'm not going to hurt anyone! We just need to-" he hissed a curse and ducked instinctively as she shot just over his shoulder, leaving a bullet hole in the wall behind him. It was a warning shot, and he didn't think she was going to waste another.

"I said get out!"

Allen only nodded and quickly retreated from the room, quickly descending the steps.

_Shit. Shit!_ This complicated things. He'd been wondering if anyone was still inside, but he hadn't thought of exactly who. A woman and two children… he didn't think they could simply leave them there, but all the same, it doubled their risks. Most _adults_ didn't have the skills to make it outside the walls, never mind kids that had probably barely been born when the Infection began. Even he could barely remember what it had been like, and his view of that time was still rather limited considering he'd only been about six years old when the outbreak happened.

"Lavi, we've got a problem. There are three more upstairs that-" he halted mid-sentence and mid-step as he saw he wasn't the only one to have found out they weren't alone.

* * *

><p>Lavi flinches and then immediately ducks after the gunshot upstairs went off. The man in front of him almost shoots, too, since he jumped. He goes right back to aiming at Lavi—the innocent act obviously going to have no affect on this guy. The shot gun is then pointed at Allen in another instant before switching back and forth between pointing at the two teens.<p>

"L-Look, w-we'll get out, alright? W-We don't mean n-no harm. J-Just let us take the masks."

Lavi wants to get out because that probably tipped off nearby Infected that there are people here. Before the man can say a thing, Lavi snatches the masks, grabs Allen and yanks him after him as they go toward the door. The guy yells at them to come back, but Lavi's already just about at the door which he unlocks easily once there and is out, trying hard to drag Allen behind him the whole time without the white-haired male falling down.

Seems the guy they left behind was smart enough not to mindlessly shoot lest they attract more Infected attention.

* * *

><p>Allen was ready to dodge another bullet if he had to, but it seemed he didn't need to. The guy wasn't quite so trigger-happy. Hopefully the first gun-shot wouldn't bring any Infected, but it was hard to say and a likely possibility that it would.<p>

It didn't take long for Allen to at least partially figure out what was going on, but Lavi didn't give either him or the man a chance to say or decide on much, when the redhead grabbed two of the masks and then grabbed him, running out the door and not giving the whitette much of a choice. That didn't mean he didn't try to protest.

"Lavi! Hold on! We can't just take those and run!"

* * *

><p>"Oohh yes we can!" Lavi says, throwing a glance back at the house to see that the door has closed and it leaves them outside again, running and hopefully not running into more Infected. Knowing their luck, they might. "Guy made it clear they weren't goin' anywhere so they ain't usin' this anytime soon."<p>

Surprisingly, their luck did keep going after that incident. They made it back to the tunnels and Lavi checked to see if he could possibly see any slimy new footsteps leading into the tunnel and saw no changes. Hopefully no Infected got inside, and now they just have to deal with that lady down there in the pollen.

The redhead puts on a mask and holds one out to Allen as he asks, "Ready to go, Beansprout?"

* * *

><p>"…not the point," Allen muttered, falling into silence, internally trying to decide what he should do. He couldn't risk Lavi's life uneccessarily, especially not since he had his to live, but leaving people they could help didn't sit right with him either.<p>

Maybe it was better though. It would be difficult for them to move discreetly with four more people, and they had no idea what sort of danger loomed ahead. So long as they survived, they could always find help.

Sighing aloud, he fashioned the mask to his face and nodded.

"Yeah… I'm ready. Let's just hurry up, before something else tragic happens."

* * *

><p>"Tragic is all we're gonna know, Beansprout."<p>

With Allen looking ready, they head into the tunnel, Lavi running a hand along the cool and rough surface of the stone walls. The further they go, trying not to use the flashlight, the louder the woman's calls are starting to get. She's definitely the only one down there, but… how are they going to deal with her? Maybe Lavi should do it so as not to strain Allen and letting the virus coarse faster through his veins.

There would be no choice. They can't move around her because he can hear her footsteps as she stumbles around, words somewhat garbled. She would hear them. They're still making their own slightly-heard shuffling noises.

He can't help but glance back at Allen to say, "I'll take care of her."

Unlike his comrade, the redhead is more willing to do what is necessary—he won't let Allen do it because of the previous stated reason, because Allen might not even do it in the end, and also because Lavi is NOT going to waste time when he has to get past her and outside to wait for Bookman.

* * *

><p>"Yeah, thanks for the reassurance," Allen whispered with dripping sarcasm. It wasn't as if Lavi wasn't probably right about it, but did he really have to say it so tactlessly? He mentally sighed. No point in sugar-coating it, he supposed. Anyway, Lavi's blunt honesty was one of his more admirable traits. He rarely, if ever, seemed afraid to just say things as they were and do so shamelessly.<p>

The near-silence of the hall as they walked was almost nerve-wrackingly disquieting after everything they'd dealt with today, but all the same it was welcomed and relieving. Hopefully, other than the one person trapped in the spores, they wouldn't run into anything else.

He could hear the garbled, somewhat nonsensical words and movements. Whoever was ahead was already starting to Turn, and he couldn't help but wonder how much longer he had himself, before he'd become a danger to others around him. He still _felt_ okay, but that didn't mean much.

"M…maybe… I should do it," he said after a moment. He didn't want to, and he didn't think Lavi did either, but he wanted to spare Lavi from as much as he could, and having to kill wasn't easy. And he wasn't going to live long enough to regret it for long anyway.

* * *

><p>"If keepin' you calm staves off the infection at all then that's what I'm gonna resort to so I'm gonna take care of this lady-no offense, but I'm not sure if you'll do it anyway seein' as you might think you can relate to her or somethin'."<p>

He doesn't want to sound harsh, but sometimes Allen's martyr-complex was pretty predictable. He already figures that Allen doesn't enjoy killing even the Infected as far gone as Clickers, so having to pit him up against a lady who's only starting to really turn might not do wonders for his later mental state.

It's dark. Lavi wouldn't be able to see what he does anyway. Darkness can be dangerous, but it can also be useful—as the redhead has had to use it quite a few times.

"Jus' leave it to me. I'm gonna keep you around as long as possible."

He seems to have it in his head that he can let Allen turn, and then Lavi would be the one to end it before it got dangerous. He felt like that'd be more of a respect given to the white-haired teen instead of killing him sooner, or letting him wander around as one of those used-to-be-human types.

* * *

><p>"Alright…" Allen conceded. He wasn't sure whether or not to be relieved or upset at those words. Either that Lavi insisted on being the one to kill the person ahead that was beginning to Turn, or about keeping <em>him<em> around as long as possible.

He was afraid of endangering Lavi, but at the same time he was afraid of Lavi getting hurt or killed on his own when Allen might be able to save him with what time he had left. He wanted Lavi to accept the fact that he was Infected and move on, but he didn't want to be left alone. He didn't want Lavi to have to be the one to end him when he finally became one of those _things_, but he didn't know if he'd have the semblance of mind to do it himself once the time came.

He was getting to be too tired to argue or make a stink either way, fatigue catching up with him. So much was happening, and a lot more might still happen, and he was exhausted. What little, waning energy he had couldn't be wasted on pointless squabbles. He just wanted to get out at this point, as quickly as possible.

So he stood and waited silently for Lavi to finish his task, not wanting to be in his way.

* * *

><p>No time to think. He can't think. No thinking. Thinking screws you over.<p>

The redhead tries to be as quiet as possible as he moves forward, most of his footfalls being masked by the lady ahead groaning and starting to get desperate to be found. Sometimes her teeth would clack, sometimes she would growl like a feral animal, and then there were moments she would go completely silent. Each second Lavi took to inch forward slowly was painstakingly long but being safe than sorry is preferable.

Eventually he can hear her actual clothes moving, her ragged breathing. He held his own breath, trying to breathe very little or else she would hear. She would have to hear him… so he lets out a large breath and it makes her go silent.

"H-Hello**? **PLEASE help me out of here!" she cries, coming toward him yet missing.

He brings up his crowbar and brings it down on her head where he can hear her sobs starting up. He's better at finding the sources of noises due to having one eye and sometimes even having to rely on hearing since, if he'll walk outside, he can't do a single thing about hair getting in his one good eye. Not to mention Bookman made sure he was better at a few things.

He hits the edge of her head. She snaps toward him, he hears it, and he brings it down again and this time hits her square on the head. He hears the woman's body crumple, but still moving so he steps around, finds her head with his foot, and brings down the rest of the hits it takes to kill her. Calling through the mask, Lavi is loud enough for Allen to hear, "Coast is clear, Beansprout!"

He just has to make sure Allen doesn't run into the body.

* * *

><p>"Okay!" Allen returned. He flicked on his light as he came down the hall, not wanting to have to stumble around the dark. He doubted there were any more Infected since Lavi called to him aloud, and even if there were, they never seemed to notice lights anyway.<p>

He saw the body, and immediately didn't like it, but he knew it couldn't be helped. At this point, it was a mercy killing. He knew that. It still bothered him.

He tore his gaze away, trying to ignore it, and the thought of Lavi possibly having to do the same to him. He silently vowed to himself he wouldn't let things come to that. He wouldn't put Lavi through that on top of everything else, even if it meant doing it himself.

"Let's get the Hell out of here," he muttered, massaging his eyes tiredly with his fingertips, falling into step. "Oh," he hummed, suddenly sounding as though he remembered something, fixing Lavi with a dirty look. "-and that's _Allen, _you damn rabbit!"

* * *

><p>"Aw crap, you noticed, huh, Beansprout~?" Lavi asks, laughing through his mask as he nudges Allen with a mostly-clean elbow. "An' I ain't no rabbit! See how much that's gonna work? 'Cause it ain't."<p>

That brief moment of teasing is DEFINITELY what the older teen needed. It has a cool smile on his face that Allen can't see under the mask, but his tone shows just how happy he is in the moment to be distracted. They leave the body behind and continue on down the tunnel quietly, for the most part.

Then comes time to see the light at the end. The redhead lets out a relieved sigh as he walks faster. They get to the end and FINALLY their luck looks up because when they get out, there's nothing waiting for them like Lavi thought there would be, and there seems to not be a single Infected soul in sight—probably all gathering around the gates since the most noise is over there.

"Made it! Now let's go find a tree an' we can wait for Gramps~"

* * *

><p>"It's not hard to notice that god-awful nickname," Allen retorted, having it in his mind to elbow Lavi back, only much, much harder. The redhead sauntered out of his range before he could follow through on that thought, though, and he simply didn't have the energy to go chasing him down at the moment. "Both you <em>and<em> that BaKanda can't seem to use my name, and it's really not that hard to remember."

The banter was helping ease the stress on his mind a little, at least. It was easy to vent that way without having to talk directly about things that truly bothered him. It was a scapegoat to his _real_ troubles, but it always seemed to work, and Lavi never failed to reciprocate it. Kanda, though… Kanda just had the opposite effect than calming. The former was playful, the latter was just an asshole. He was still worried about the jerk, along with everyone else, but at least he'd gotten stuck with pleasant company.

He was glad to finally have the compromised zone and tunnel behind them, pulling off his mask to breathe fresh air again.

He nodded at Lavi's proposal, but he couldn't help being troubled. The morning light was already starting to rear its head, and he wasn't sure how much time he had left before he'd start Turning like the woman in the tunnel. He didn't _feel_ strange - exhausted, aching, and tense, sure - but what was it supposed to feel like to change into one of those things? It wasn't as if anyone was able to explain it when it happened to them. Maybe they just slipped away without noticing, even.

He sighed. He couldn't dwell on it. He'd find out soon enough anyway, and as impossible as it was to _not_ think about it, he didn't want to fill his last thoughts with that. They needed to focus on finding the others and making sure they were okay first and foremost. As for changing into Infected, he'd simply have to cross that bridge when he came to it, and make the most of his time until then to make sure Lavi and everyone else would make it okay.

* * *

><p>Lavi made sure that they were at least ten feet away from the exit of the tunnel before taking off his mask and taking a quick gasp for air as they head for the treeline. Thankfully the pollen won't be able to reach them since the wind is heading to the east while they're heading north. They get to the trees and Lavi is suddenly so tired he's not sure he can even climb.<p>

"Need any help climbin' up to this tree, Beansprout? This should be good enough for Bookman to catch sight of us when he comes lookin'. We've gotta get some sleep, though. Don't think we've slept for about twenty-four hours since we both got up pretty early yesterday."

And the redhead, of all people, would REALLY know how important it is to get sleep since he always makes it a priority to get in eight hours of sleep so he can let his brain function at its best.

* * *

><p>"I think I'll manage just fine," Allen said, silvery eyes flitting up the branches, trying to decide the best way up. Climbing trees wasn't hard. Especially not compared to having to climb buildings or man-made obstacles, which he'd sometimes had to do. He was losing steam fast, but once they were up in the safety of the branches, he could take his while to rest.<p>

The first branch was almost always the hardest, though.

After taking a moment to figure it out, he jumped up to grab one of the lowest branches, pulling it down with his weight and swinging on leg over the low end, finding his feet and a hold on a slightly higher branch to steady himself relatively easily.

He glanced back at Lavi after he'd reached the third one up, checking to make sure the same redhead that had offered assistance didn't need it himself.

"Think you got it?"

* * *

><p>"Ahaha, whatever you say."<p>

The redhead waited to also gather up energy and to make sure that Allen would get up without needing a boost or something. He watched and even took a few steps back to be sure that NORMAL people could see the head of white hair from a considerable and fair distance. He's pretty confident that Bookman would see Allen's hair when he came searching.

He comes back and looks up at Allen, and decides it's too damn late to him that he's just going to accept the help and he holds up a hand as he answers, "Don't think I do so help me out here, will ya?"

* * *

><p>" <em>'Whatever you say'<em>, says the guy who needs help himself," Allen teased with a small smile as he braced one foot on the lowest branch, hooking his arm on another and offering up his free hand to pull Lavi up.

The fact that they were outside and away from danger had his spirits lifted somewhat. He was still concerned for the others, but at least he had the guarantee that _one_ of his friends was okay. That was better than nothing, and he had definitely been afraid for a while there that none of them would make it out.

* * *

><p>"Har har har. So funny," Lavi laughs tiredly. He grabs Allen's hand and grabs the lower branch and that's enough to get him into the tree. He groans as he sits down on the lowest branch to say, "Thanks man."<p>

Taking another moment for a quick rest, Lavi then climbs up to a third branch just across from the white-haired male. It's sturdy enough for him to lie down. He takes off his jacket and ties it around his lower hips, and then takes off his belt and ties it just under his armpits so if he falls down, his jacket and belt will catch him.

"Whoever wakes up first wakes the other, alright? We're gonna wait until Bookman shows his old maw, too."

* * *

><p>"Alright," Allen nodded, seating himself on an adjacent branch where he could fold his arms over another one, cushioning his head and yawning.<p>

He didn't lie down nor tie himself to the branch like Lavi did. He didn't think it'd be necessary, and anyway, he'd prefer falling to having them both stuck precariously within the same space if he Turned before he could do anything himself to prevent it.

"Do you think the others are okay?" he asked quietly, after several minutes had lapsed, his expression troubled. "I mean, in all honesty?" Not simply as a placation to ease his mind from worrying.

* * *

><p>"Depends on who you're talkin' about," Lavi says as he wiggles to get himself comfortable. "To be honest, I ain't sure if Timothy and Emilia will make it out-even if they do, they don't really have the skill to make it in the wilderness or somethin' until they can reach that safe haven they wanna get to. Timothy was born in this. Kanda can make it for sure. I'm pretty sure Lenalee and Komui can do some good since Komui is smart and Lenalee is more agile than him."<p>

Honestly having no real idea, Lavi is just sending out the traits that he knows can be either an advantage or disadvantage for those few he named. He's also sounding unsure because life throws really hard curve balls—as he's learned with Allen because he thinks it's a miracle that they got here to this point at all.

"But I've also seen unlikely people make it out of tough situations, too. So I can say that they have less chances to make it out and then we might end up seein' 'em down the road against odds, ya know?"

Eyes are now starting to droop already with Lavi as comfortable as he'll ever be. Exhaustion is taking over pretty quickly and as soon as he finishes he's just about asleep after a few seconds.

* * *

><p>Allen hummed acknowledgment. He hoped Emilia and Timothy <em>would<em> make it. And Lenalee and Komui. And, Hell, even Kanda. He wanted everyone to survive safely, but he still knew that was a lot to hope for, given the circumstances. It wasn't always skill that came down to it, sometimes it was just plain dumb luck. That went both ways, good and bad.

The white-haired male had always been a survivalist himself, in one way or another. Life hadn't exactly been gentle for him even before the Infection first started. He had his deformed arm to thank for that in full.

For all his experience with surviving tough situations though, he still hadn't quite made it, a thought he couldn't entirely push out of his mind as he fingered the bite on his arm. Still there and still very real.

"Thanks, for being honest," he sighed sincerely. He really did appreciate it. He knew he wasn't much different, but he hated when people sugar-coated the truth or tried to cover up how bad things really were to spare his feelings. He could take hard truths. It was pretty lies he couldn't stand above all else.

Lavi was already out, so he tried to find rest as well, closing his eyes. He was too drained not to sleep, but it was restless and still plagued by tempestuous worries.


	6. Hard Choices

**Immunity  
>A D Gray-Man and Last of Us Crossover<strong>

* * *

><p>All the energy spent, all the exercise had, and all of the stress to keep his grandfather and Allen safe had made Lavi conk out like a log. Despite always getting eight hours of sleep and being used to it, he ended up putting in nine and a half hours of sleep so the sun was up and beaming. He smacks his lips tiredly, glancing around, being careful not to fall on accident since he remembers being up in a tree.<p>

"Allen?" the redhead questions, turning his head to see if his companion is still in the tree branch not too far from him.

* * *

><p>Allen hadn't slept nearly as long. What sleep he did get wasn't very helpful to his mood or his energy at all, having been filled with worry and morbid <em>what if<em> kind of images that wouldn't let him even have a few hours of an untroubled mind.

Once he'd decided that it wasn't going to do him any good, he'd climbed down, keeping an eye out for Bookman or any other survivors that might wander by, but the area was entirely still. No humans. Not even Infected.

Hours ticked by, and he searched a small distance from the tree, though not enough to lose it, but that harbored nothing, so he went back and paced. Pacing was a bad idea. Rather than help, it only made him feel worse. He forced himself to sit against the tree trunk, but couldn't help tapping his leg in agitation.

Bookman should have been here by now, or they should have seen at least _someone_ else, but no one had showed. He hadn't necessarily expected that someone to be anyone they knew, like Kanda or Lenalee, but he had thought they'd notice at least one person come by.

And he couldn't tell if his restless, nervous energy was simply because of worry or fear for his friends, or if he was finally starting to become one of those _things. _The thought of slipping away while Lavi slept crossed his mind more than once, his fingers twitching impulsively over the handle of his knife, in case he would need it to protect Lavi, and not simply from other Infected. He didn't want the redhead to have to… put him down, essentially, when he Turned. He didn't want his best friend to have to carry that around on his conscience for however long he continued to live. He'd already set it in his mind that he'd do it himself when it came down to the wire, so that the other wouldn't have to. Not an easy decision, on his part, but one he chose full-heartedly.

He was debating to himself whether or not to leave - again - when Lavi's voice interrupted his thoughts, answering with a distracted, "Hm?"

* * *

><p>It's a good thing that Lavi didn't know of Allen's intentions or else he would've given the younger teen a full-blown lecture on these sorts of thoughts that he shouldn't have. Hearing Allen underneath him, sounding a ways down, he turns his head carefully and manages to peek at white hair in his peripheral vision. He unties himself and manages to sit upright on the branch and then he climbs down while stretching his limbs.<p>

"Good to see that you're still around. I thought I told you that whoever wakes up first is supposed to wake the other? Ah, never mind it. Bookman come by yet? How long do you think I was out?" Lavi asks, staring at the shadows to try to discern how long he'd been sleeping.

It seems like it had been a while but he was feeling much more rejuvenated at this point. He still hasn't accepted that perhaps the old man hadn't made it. He still fully and thoroughly believes that the incredibly old male would make it yet. He has no idea that Allen hasn't seen head nor hair of Infected or human alike.

* * *

><p>"I had a hard time sleeping," Allen admitted, still tapping his leg restlessly. "You obviously didn't, so I let you sleep." It wasn't an accusation, but the agitation in his voice almost made it sound like one, he realized a moment too late, and he pinched the bridge of his nose with a sigh.<p>

His fears of where all that agitation might be coming from didn't help him get rid of it, either.

"I don't know how long. Several hours, if I had to guess. I searched nearby since I was already up and kept watch for anyone, but I haven't seen or even heard much of anything except wild birds and rodents the entire time I've been awake. No sign of anything even remotely human-shaped."

* * *

><p>"That's... really odd," Lavi mutters to himself.<p>

He considers Allen to be lucky that he'll choose to ignore his snapping. He considers all the reasons for the annoyance, and seeing as this is his best friend he'll let it slide—he has limits, of course, but thankfully he's not anywhere near his end when it comes to patience. He sits down, stretching and cracking his back.

"But that's some good luck, too. Try to get some more sleep while I keep an eye out for Bookman. It might've been a while but I bet he'll be comin' in no time."

This, Lavi has great faith in. The one thing he's had large faith in, that is, for a while.

* * *

><p>"I don't think I'll be able to, and I'm not sure I have enough time left for it to matter anyway," Allen stated honestly, pushing himself to his feet and trying to keep his nerves steady, though it was difficult. Even trying to sit still at this point was driving him crazy in it's own right. Making him feel almost like a caged animal despite the total freedom.<p>

"I think you should go ahead to the other zone… see if you can find any of the others on the way there. They might have a better chance of making it that way, with your help." He took a steadying breath, slinging his bag off his back and holding it towards the redhead, eyes silently pleading him to take it and go. The only thing he was keeping on him was the knife. "Whatever time I have left, I can use to search around or inside the wall, maybe find Bookman or any other survivors and help them escape to safety." It wasn't as though he was getting a choice in whether he survived or not anyway, but at least he could make his end worth something that way.

* * *

><p>"Huh? What're you talkin' about Beansprout?" Lavi asks stupidly on purpose.<p>

For now he'll feign idiocy in the hopes that Allen believes it and chickens out in what he's trying to say. He didn't come out as very blunt so maybe he'll really believe Lavi didn't understand since the redhead can often times prefer a blunt approach since beating around the bush is—in his opinion—incredibly lame and confusing.

"Besides, don't worry about Bookman. He'll get out of there in no time at all we just gotta wait a little longer an' then I bet we'll even see one of our old friends before that slow old coot gets here."

He pretends not to notice the pack outstretched toward him—possibly able to fool Allen again that he thinks he's just holding it out to give his back a break.

* * *

><p>"Don't give me that, you <em>know<em> what I'm talking about," Allen warned with an edge to his voice. Sure, in some ways, he lacked education the way Lavi had his, but he wasn't an idiot, and the other thinking he would actually buy into the redhead's ruse was an insult to his intelligence.

Most of his life had been filled with hard choices, and now he was about to make another one, but he was ready to do that, if it meant protecting his friends. Even if that threat was from himself.

He tossed the bag at Lavi's feet, fed up with holding it while the older teen insisted on playing ignorant, and turned away, shifting with anxious impatience.

"There are three clips of ammunition in there and plenty enough food to get you to the next safe zone, even if you find the others heading there. I might only have a few hours before I Turn, but the least I can do is help someone with it, and you'll just be in my way." He heaved a sigh. "I can't waste it worrying about making sure you don't get bitten too, so this is where we part ways."

He lifted Timcanpy from his shoulder, depositing the bird on a branch above his head.

"Tim, you stay too, and help him make it there, okay?"

* * *

><p>Lavi almost stares stupidly, for real, at the pack that Allen drops at his feet. This time he can't play the idiot and pretend he doesn't know what Allen is talking about because the guy is not taking bullshit and is being frank. He looks back up at the younger teen, mind quickly going over what to do to change Allen's mind—but nothing will work except for one option that leaves absolutely no room for argument.<p>

"Tim can wait for us 'cause I'm comin' with if we're gonna go an' find Bookman to hurry his old ass up."

That was it. That's what he was going to do.

Taking a step back away so he's out of Allen's reach, Lavi would follow him anywhere and everywhere. He won't let Allen try to knock him out or something stupid like that. In order to make Allen NOT do something suicidal, the older male would have to put his own life on the line so that Allen double-takes and thinks things through. He gives an innocent enough smile, showing that no matter WHAT is said, he would follow Allen.

* * *

><p>"You're not coming with me, Lavi," Allen stated with finality, having to force his voice level.<p>

He wasn't just asking this time, nor making a friendly suggestion. This time he made it an order, not really caring that the redhead would be insulted by it. Insulted was better than dead.

"I'm doing this on my own. I don't know what I'm going to find, but there isn't anything more you can do for me anyway. You've already kept me around longer than you rightly should've," given the circumstances. His own recklessness hardly mattered at this point. He was already infected, so he could afford to be reckless. Lavi couldn't. "So don't make me repeat myself. Get going to the other safe zone."

* * *

><p>"Nope~! Ain't gonna happen, Beansprout," Lavi answers with his own final tone.<p>

They've reached the point of there being no safe haven so they've been thrust back out into a world with no laws to separate humans from the Infected—only difference is that morals stand between utter chaos **sometimes**. Lavi is free to literally do as he pleases, and what he would like to do is continue to stalk and trail after Allen no matter what he says.

"Where you go, I go. Simple as that-reckless or not."

And the younger teen has no say in it whatsoever.

* * *

><p>Allen clenched his fists at his side and turned his head to glare. He cared for Lavi, but <em>damn it<em>, the redhead knew how to push his buttons in just the wrong ways sometimes, even more than Kanda when he really put his mind to it.

"No, you're not," Allen reiterated, his temper starting to work its way into his voice. It wasn't the usual, banterous irritation that he often displayed after Lavi teased him or played annoying pranks. Much more serious and hard-edged. "I'm not playing around here, Lavi, and I'm not asking, either. I don't want you here anymore."

His patience with the older male and his refusal to listen was quickly wearing him thin, and the Junior Bookman was teetering dangerously close to saying just one wrong word and snapping that last, taut thread.

* * *

><p>Lavi still stands there just out of Allen's reach, green eye staring at him unwavering—almost like an animal staring at him as he tries to shoo it away, but it just feels no fear. This is Lavi, though, and he's making a very conscious effort to try to let his gaze and actions tell the white-haired male that he's going <em>anywhere<em> that Allen goes.

"You can say all you want but I'm still gonna come after you whether you want it or not, so why don't you sit down an' let that simmer in your mind for a bit?"

Perhaps pissing off Allen isn't the best option, but it's the ONLY one. Not to mention it might be able to help keep the teen here for a few moments longer, something or other.

* * *

><p>"Damn it!" Allen whirled on the redhead, his temper finally snapping fully to life. "This isn't a game! You're not coming with me!"<p>

He knew that it was just because Lavi was his friend. That Lavi's only interest was to look out for him until the end. That was what made it all the harder though. Every minute together was another minute he edged ever closure to becoming a legitimate threat, and once the Infection started to take over, he didn't know how things were going to play out, and he hated situations where he couldn't control the variables to ensure the best possible outcomes.

At the very least, he could make sure Lavi was well out of the way of danger, and as far as Allen was concerned at the moment, he _was_ the danger. Lavi wasn't a variable he could control, so involving him was a gamble on the other's life.

And Allen never gambled. He cheated.

He was sure that his shorter fuse probably had something to do with the Infection starting to affect him too, normally able to keep a handle on his composure a lot better than now.

Which meant they didn't have the time to waste on this stupid argument.

"I don't care if you leave of your own volition or if I have to knock you out to make sure you can't follow, but you're _not_ sticking around me anymore. I'm _not_ giving you that option!"

* * *

><p>What a pissed off short person. Lavi takes another step back as if Allen's snapping actually intimidated him when that's not the case at all. He's just trying to further stay out of Allen's reach so that the white-haired teen can't throw a sucker punch or try to knock him out. A green eye still stares at silver eyes unwavering.<p>

"I'm still comin' with an' there's really nothin' you can say or do at this point that's gonna stop me, Allen. I'm older an' taller an' stronger than you so I think that you don't really have the desired effect that you were hopin' for."

There would be no moving from the redhead.

* * *

><p>"You're such a stubborn asshole sometimes," Allen growled, trying to think. He knew there had to be a way to get Lavi out of the path of danger, but figuring that part out was the trick. What Lavi said was true. The other <em>was<em> older, taller, and physically stronger. He was also smart, but Allen was too. He was just less straight-forward about it.

He certainly wasn't going to throw a punch. Not when he'd just declared he might, and Lavi was obviously preparing himself for it. It wouldn't be much of a sucker-punch if he threw it when it was expected. He had to put that idea on the back burner for now, until he could catch the other off-guard.

Because talking obviously wasn't doing a damn thing.

Other ideas popped into his head. Ones that, by and far, were probably horrible for him to even consider, but he didn't dwell on that part of it. Bluffing that he might seriously wound Lavi either with his knife or gun were obvious no-go's. It would be pathetic to even attempt that sort of bluff, because they both knew he never would.

Bluffing with his own life, however, might work. It wasn't as if he was above doing it if there was no other way, and so far it was looking to be a _when_ scenario over an _if_. He'd already set it in his mind that he would once the Infection progressed far enough, while he still had some shred of humanity left to do it.

Just… not in front of Lavi.

He didn't want his closest friend to have to live with that memory for the rest of his life, _or_ of having to be the one to kill him.

Allen sighed heavily. He should've just snuck off earlier while the redhead slept.

"Fine. I wanted to spend what time I had left doing some good, but not if it puts you at risk."

He'd already made one bad decision when he'd omitted telling Bookman he was Infected and _that_ was why he'd wanted to go first and clear their path, and for all he knew, it might have gotten the man killed luring those creatures away. _He_ should have been the one to do that, if only he had just made the right damn choice. He wasn't going to let Lavi potentially die for him too.

He likewise retreated some steps, well out of reach, for similar reason so that Lavi couldn't close the distance too easily to do anything against him. Of which the realization of that was something he was banking on as he lifted his knife meaningfully toward himself.

He knew he was playing dirty, but he didn't care. Playing dirty was how he always won his bets.

"If you're going to insist on following me, then this is where I cut it short. I'm not letting you get yourself into danger or killed because of me."

* * *

><p>That son of a <strong>bitch<strong>.

Lavi could see the gears turning in Allen's head as he desperately tried to search for a solution to making sure Lavi wouldn't put himself in harm's way. He was truly believing that Allen would have no way of doing anything without bringing Lavi along, mind simply in the here-and-now for once as he becomes hyper aware of what's going on around him when Allen threatens to off himself.

Flinching, the redhead jumped into holding his hands up in hopefully a calming way as he hisses, "Shit, Allen, STOP being so damn melodramatic! Put the damn knife down! I know you like goin' around sacrificin' yourself, but that ain't gonna do you any good! What do you plan on doin', KILLIN' yourself in front of me?!"

There are just some reasons that Lavi has in not wanting Allen to die—he just doesn't find them worth his while to say them because of how cliche they sound which makes their meaning less worthy in the end.

Lavi didn't want Allen to die alone—no one should EVER have to die alone. He wants to be there to see the younger male off. To give some final goodbyes. He didn't want anyone else doing it—really feeling like he's the only person who can do it. And unlike what Allen thinks is a curse, the redhead generally feels like it's a blessing. He would remember killing Allen, yes, but in the end… he won't be forgotten. He will be **remembered**.

"I swear to all that is holy, Allen, that if you off yourself I'm gonna start yellin'-not only will it hopefully get Bookman here sooner but it'll get Infected here sooner, too. You're not the only one who can be a martyr."

* * *

><p>It was taking all of Allen's willpower not to let his poker face crack in the slightest, silver eyes hardening to steel. This was, without a doubt, one of the hardest things he'd ever had to do, and that shred of composure he was managing to maintain was fragile at best beneath outward appearances. He was almost impressed at himself for managing to keep his voice level as he spoke.<p>

"I don't want things to come to this, but I told you, I'm not putting you at risk."

He tried to ignore the other's threat. He was bluffing, sort of, but Lavi didn't know that. He was almost certain that Lavi was bluffing too, though. What would be the point in making a raucous just to spite him when the only thing it'd do was get them _both_ killed for no damn reason at all?

"It's not like I'm getting many options here. I'm going to die anyway, no matter what, but there's no reason why you should get dragged down with me. If you're really going to insist on being that reckless, then that's the way it has to be."

He didn't bother with even acknowledging the challenge of whether or not he'd do it in front of Lavi. He didn't plan to, wasn't sure that he _could_ even if he had decided on it, but that wasn't completely relevant. He just needed the redhead to believe he _would_, to make him back off and agree not to follow. That much, at least, he figured he could pull off.

* * *

><p>"You just CAN'T Allen, alright?! Just stop!" Lavi shouts.<p>

He's not going to be surprised if an Infected or two heard that and head their way, but apparently now it's time to break out the real feelings over something like this because of Allen being difficult. He can't let that martyr complex win.

"STOP trying to do this on your own! In a time like this we gotta stick together through thick an' thin! This means that it doesn't just end when you're about to die! Do you get that? I've made a vow to myself that I ain't gonna let you die on your own! I CAN'T let you die on your own, man!" Lavi says, trying to keep his voice down. "Do you think I'm going to let you die alone? Do you think I want you to die surrounded by the Infected while being torn limb from limb? I not gonna let that happen! I can't! I can't forgive myself if I let you die just... so fuckin' alone!"

And here it is. It's encroaching on him. He's starting to realize something, green eye starting to get tinged with a desperation to keep Allen here because…

He might end up **_alone_**.

"I'LL be the one to finish it for you, Allen! You're not putting my life at risk! I know what's comin' so I can prepare for it. I can't let you just go out and die on your own 'cause... fuck, man, I need you to be around with me as long as possible. Right now, I gotta... I can't speak well when I need to but you gotta understand that you can RELY and TRUST in me enough to be the one to do the deed when it's gotta be done, an' DON'T feed me the bullshit that you don't want me to go through it! I'm older than you an' can make decisions on my own on what I think is good for me or not!"

* * *

><p>Allen's at a loss. This isn't just something he can cheat his way out of, like with card games or gambling. He knows he's playing dirty. They <em>both<em> know it.

But Lavi isn't playing dirty back, he's being **_sincere _**and truly _hurt_, and that's what's breaking him down. He can shamelessly manipulate his way around just about anyone when he knows others are trying to sink just as low, because then it's still fair if everyone is playing the same game.

This though… is beyond unfair, and he's painfully aware of it.

"Damn it…" He tried to hold back tears, and he couldn't do it. Dropping his arms to his side, he turned his head aside to look elsewhere, trying to compose his thoughts properly. "I'm not-… not scared of that happening. I'm not scared of dying by myself, but if something happened to you or anyone else, then, I…" he trailed off, drawing in a shuddering breath.

In the grand scheme of things, his own life meant very little to him. Some days, when he was alone with no one around to hear it, least of all those that'd be hurt by it, he even wished he didn't exist. He kept walking though, because he had promised his late foster father; because Cross had kicked him into moving forward just enough times to stay on his feet, mostly figuratively but sometimes literally if that was what it took; because he'd found exceptional people that he wanted to protect, wanting to be able to be the wall that stood between them and danger whenever it was within his power.

Self-preservation, though, was one of his dullest instincts, and only just enough of it to keep his promises. Everything he cherished was external to himself. In that way, it was simple. He had nothing to lose then if he died protecting what he valued most.

It wasn't as though he entertained the idea of suicide on a normal standard, but it wasn't a concept that bothered him either, given the choice between that or becoming another Infected that would exist only to blindly rip apart and destroy other people with mindless savagery.

The very _thought_ of any of his friends dying was not something he could stand to think about quite so easily, if at all. For that reason, he never truly allowed anyone to get as close to him as he let them believe. It wasn't that he didn't care, but letting people inside, letting them get close, letting things become too interpersonal, only led to pain in the end. Just like it's doing now.

Fear, he could handle. Fear kept one alert and on their toes, ready for when something finally happened. Loss was an entirely different matter.

"You don't know that nothing will happen, even if you think you're prepared. We were damn lucky to get you outside the wall last night. Keep taking chances and that luck has to run out eventually, the same way mine did. I just… I don't want anything to happen to you too."

* * *

><p>"The way I see it we've got a day at most until you turn, Allen. I already had my sleep so I'm stayin' awake! So when you start showin' signs of getting out-of-it then I'll be prepared! It ain't gonna be sudden so STOP worrying abotu me and making decision for me! I'm old enough to choose what I KNOW I'm capable of!"<p>

These sort of things are frustrating. The redhead puts up with Bookman belittling him quite often. While he hasn't quite experienced in in the same way yet, to know that others worry enough to make decisions for him is a tad bit infuriating. He doesn't want people to tell him what is dangerous or not when he knows his own limitations.

"Why can't you just TRUST me?!"

_'Don't leave me alone. I'll be alone when you're gone…'_

* * *

><p>Allen heaved a long-suffering sigh, massaging the pits of his eyes wearily so that he pinched the bridge of his nose.<p>

"It isn't you that I don't trust."

It was the rest of the world. The same world that had already stolen Mana from him. The same world that got him Infected and good as dead. The same one that had destroyed their safe haven and might have gotten at least SOME of their friends killed.

The same one that might get Lavi killed too.

It wasn't that he distrusted Lavi. It was that he knew above all just how unfairly cruel the world could be, for no damn reason at all.

"It's not that I don't think you're capable or anything, either, but all it takes is a fraction of a second of bad luck, and that's it. It's bad enough I'll probably never find out if the others even got out alive, but… at least I know for sure that you're safe."

That definitive knowledge was the only thing currently holding his sanity together by even a shred, even though he was still worried for the others. The thought of that changing, much less because of him, was beyond terrifying. More so than the thought of himself getting ripped apart by a pack of Infected alone, the way Lavi feared happening if they parted ways.

"I'm sorry. I just can't risk anything happening. I-I wouldn't be able to take it. If the last thing I did in this world was to put you in harm's way or get you killed, that'd just be the worst thing. I'm more scared of that than anything else. Please, Lavi? Just… consider it a last request."

* * *

><p>"<strong><em>No<em>**. I don't care if you believe that I'll get in danger when you're basing it on ONE damn chance, Allen! Your signs aren't going to happen in an instant so stop fucking trying to leave and **_STAY_**."

This is bullshit. Lavi's asking for something, just ONE thing, and Allen is denying him this.

"Jus' LEAVE IT ALONE, Allen! I lost Bookman an' I ain't gonna lose someone so fuckin' soon after!"

There… it came out…

The redhead's green orb slips downward, stare looking at the ground as his chest seizes. He's lost Bookman… it's at this exact moment AFTER those words come out that Lavi realizes the gravity of that. He's lost the one person who was real family.

_Bookman won't be coming back_.

Backing up toward a tree, the redhead slides down the rough bark and sits on the ground, still staring at the ground as he lets it set in. It'd been a few hours of them having to get to the tunnel and then have to get the mask. No doubt Bookman would've headed there when he was free. Then Lavi MUST have been asleep for at least eight hours. If Bookman was to get out, he would've done it by now.

"Just... don't leave, Allen... not yet... not until you look like you're really changin'... _please_…"

* * *

><p>Allen's throat tightened. He had known that Lavi hadn't wanted them to part ways because they were friends and the older male wanted to see that role through to the very end. To some level, he was grateful for that, that Lavi was that loyal whereas many people weren't. He had a few good friends, but Lavi was his best. On another level, that just made this entire situation more painful, for both of them, even despite Allen trying to maintain a certain distance for this exact reason.<p>

But Lavi wasn't only scared for his sake, he was scared for his own. That was the other side of it that neither had quite come to the conclusion of until now, though maybe on a subconscious level, they knew. Maybe that was why they both fought each other a battle of wills so fervently; why Allen insisted he find the others so he wouldn't be alone when Allen was gone and why Lavi fought so hard to stay to the end because everyone else might not even be around anymore to find.

The only certainty they had left was each other, and soon enough, not even that.

He bit his lip tightly and put his blade away, crossing the distance to lower himself, hugging Lavi around his neck and burying his face against the redhead's shoulder, and did something he never did before. He gave up and let Lavi win.

His mind was instantly screaming at him that being this close with the state he was in was DANGEROUS, but pushed it away. Lavi was right, Turning wasn't sudden, so this should be fine, right?

And this much, at least, he figured he owed.

"I'm sorry," he shuddered out, breathing long and deliberate, trying to get a handle on his emotions before it could turn to open sobbing.

He had been being selfish, and known it all along, but for what he still thought of as good reason. He had known all along this would be hard, and HE had been prepared for that, but Lavi hadn't. Not in the way Allen had had in mind, at least.

"I just care so much for my friends and for you, and… I get scared, because there's just so many things that can go wrong, all the time." And Allen didn't declare many people as friends. He made a lot of acquaintances, whom he was always cordial and respectful with, but he was sparing when it came to deciding who were his actual FRIENDS. It wasn't a label he gave away lightly, as intimate to him as family and lovers were to most other people, and he truly loved them with all the heart he could afford to spare. And above all, he just wanted to protect them from the shameless cruelty of the world at large.

* * *

><p>The redhead's guard goes up despite not even looking at Allen, not wanting to be caught off-guard and have the guy knock him out. Instead, though, Allen crouches down in front of him and brings him forward into a hug. Jaw clenching tightly to avoid any other emotion from leaking out, he accepts it.<p>

Because he would eventually be all alone.

And yet the younger lets out a shaky apology. He could hear the uneven breathing and the sound of emotion. The taller male lets his head lean on Allen's shoulder for comfort—just this once—as he listens to what Allen has to say.

"Not this time, Allen. Not this time."

* * *

><p>Allen's arms tightened slightly around Lavi, almost possessively. It wasn't that he wanted things to be like this. He damn well would've preferred to keep going. To just keep <em>being<em> there, but once someone got Infected, that was it. There was no cure, so this was the best he could do.

He had to take a few consciously slow, steadying breaths before he trusted himself to speak again around the lump in his throat.

"I won't go anywhere. I'll stay here to the end, so you aren't alone, just… wh-when it's time, I don't want you to have to be the one to do it." He paused to draw another shaky breath. "U-unless… I'm too far gone, and I can't. Okay?"

* * *

><p>Not the one to do it…<p>

Lavi's view on this is conflicting. He wants to see Allen through to the end, make sure he's end is as peaceful as possible. At the same time, he almost agrees that he doesn't want to be the one to do it. His eidetic memory would never let him live it down—watch as the blood came out, watch as the breath leaves his lungs, watch as his heart stops beating, and watch as vibrant, smoldering silver eyes go as dull as gray clouds.

"Alright, Allen... alright. You've got a deal," Lavi murmurs weakly.

Now comes the time to face the music.

_Bookman is gone_.

He won't let Allen see the realization of this thought. He tightly grips the white-haired teen's jacket for barely even a moment before he lets go and drops his arms, signaling that the hug is done and over with. Lavi had mourning to do, and the only way that could get done is if this redhead thought about it as they left. He can't go letting himself possibly keep them here if the Infected start to realize there's slim pickings in the previous safe haven.

"We gotta keep movin', Allen…"

_'PLEASE don't mention Bookman.'_

* * *

><p>He was somewhat disappointed for the lack of contact when the hug ended, but he didn't press the issue, stepping back and straightening up. He watched as Lavi stood, heard his words, and couldn't help but cast a glance over his shoulder at the zone.<p>

At first he didn't say anything, guilt-ridden indecision playing across his face, but he said nothing to argue or bring up what was on his mind. It wasn't as if Lavi wasn't clever enough to probably figure it out anyway. Instead, he reached out to grab his bag from the ground, slinging it over his shoulders again, and blew out a long, slow breath. He nodded, eyes returning to his friend.

"Yeah. 'gotta keep moving," he repeated quietly, flinching faintly as Tim fluttered down to land on his head and chirped, as if in agreement.

The other closest zone was a few days walk. That was quite a bit of ground to cover. Plenty of distance for something to _happen_. At the very least, he could make sure Lavi made it safely, for as long as he had left. Maybe they would even find the others on the way. Allen hoped as much, at least.

* * *

><p>"We'll go through the forest runnin' along the main road for as long as we can. When night comes again we'll sleep in the trees like just last night. If we find one Infected, we kill it as fast as we can with no guns-we run into a large group or even three or more, we're findin' cover no matter what."<p>

There's not even a guarantee that Allen will make it until night falls. Lavi knows this, but saying it out loud… it helps ease his mind for the time being. They've been so active so Allen won't stay as himself for two days, the virus probably working its way fast due to his heart pumping blood so much from all the running. Had everything gone as planned, Allen could've rested and _then_ he would've lasted two days.

"I remember the way to the next place so we jus' gotta stick with this road an' follow the sun when we can't see the road an' we'll be jus' golden, Ponyboy~!" Lavi says, finally putting on a smile to help himself feel better as he referenced one of his favorite books.

* * *

><p>Allen nodded. That sounded like a good enough plan, and going through the forest meant they probably wouldn't run into many Infected. He was of similar mind that he wouldn't last long enough for most of it to matter, but he said nothing, falling into step and merely trying to stay focused, jogging just a pace or two behind him.<p>

He blinked in question, eyebrows furrowing, at the last bit of what the redhead said. He was used to Lavi and Kanda calling him 'beansprout' all the time, but Ponyboy? That was a new one.

Then again, Lavi was always kind of a strange person, albeit _mostly_ in a good way.

"That's _Allen_, to you! And why a pony?"

* * *

><p>"It's an allusion to one of my favorite books, Beansprout. Maybe if we find it in a library I can take it with me or somethin'."<p>

_'To remind me of you, I'd guess…'_


End file.
